Love, Elvis UK re-issue: SONY / BMG will reissue the "Love, Elvis" compilation again on September 22, 2008. It comes with the same slipcase used earlier this year for Valentine. (News, Source: Elvis News)

Chart Update: On the ARIA Music DVD Chart dated 1 Sep 2008, the Aloha DVD has exited the Top 40 chart. Meanwhile, Elvis The King of Rock 'n' Roll drops to #39 and at #40 is Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special. (News, Source: ARIA)

Paper sleeve re-issues in Japan: BMG Japan will re-issue several albums in their paper sleeve series on October 22, 2008. The CDs come with bonus tracks, but the tracklistings are not available yet. The titles are:

From Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN

Elvis Today

Elvis Promised Land

Good Times

Raised On Rock

Elvis (Fool Album)

Elvis Now

The Wonderful World Of Christmas

Love Letters From Elvis

Elvis For Everyone!

Pot Luck

Something For Everybody

The same day BMG Japan will release five more titles on the SHM-CD format, these too come with bonus tracks. The titles are:

Cirque du Soleil Elvis show update: Utah dancers, it's time to slip on your blue suede shoes. Cirque du Soleil, the international performance/circus troupe that has become known for its spectacular-sized productions such as "O" and "Mystère," is designing a new show around the music of Elvis Presley for next year. And renowned Utah choreographer Bonnie Story has been tapped to develop the show's dancing.

Consequently, Salt Lake City is one of four cities that will hold auditions for the show, which plans to hire at least two dozen dancers. Story was hired by theater, film and video choreographer/director Vincent Paterson, who is directing the Elvis show. She has known Paterson for some 20 years, since working as his assistant. "I just know his work, and I know his mind and his way, and he just trusts me," the choreographer said. "We're always on the same page. It¹s like we came from the same school. He¹ll throw out an idea or I¹ll say something, and it will not just be out of left field for him."

Story won an Emmy for her choreography for "High School Musical," and designed the dance sequences of other movies, including the "HSM" sequels and "The American Mall." Details about the production have been tightly held. The show, which will feature Elvis' music in much the same way The Beatles were featured in the Cirque show "Love," is scheduled to premiere in November 2009 at the new CityCenter Resort-Casino in Las Vegas.

"The creative combination of live musicians and singers, projections, dance and the latest in multimedia sound and lighting technology are stimulating and aim at offering an emotional bond with the audience," according to a statement by CKX Inc., the entertainment company producing the show. "The show will bring Elvis back to Las Vegas for millions of his existing fans and create a buzz that will enable the persona of Elvis to reach untold numbers of new fans."

Holding Utah tryouts alongside auditions in New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas is an acknowledgment of the state's growing reputation for talented dancers from the "HSM" movies and reality TV shows such as "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing With the Stars."

"I told Cirque, 'If you guys want to see some major talent, come to Salt Lake,' Story said. "The kids are dedicated. Kids from Utah will want to be in it. They're incredibly trained. Utah is getting such a great reputation now. And it wasn¹t hard. They kind of just trusted me."

In fact, Paterson was in town earlier this month for a workshop with Story for the show, "and he offered five contracts on the spot after we got through," she said.

Story said she's looking for "advanced, very versatile, athletic" dancers for the production, which will offer performers a two-year contract.

"It's a show that people from Utah can be very proud to be in ," she said. "It will be a family show. Whoever comes, they do need to be ready for a very technical audition."(News, Source: Vince Horiuchi, The Salt Lake Tribune)

Retro travel staying at the Heartbreak Hotel: Why not visit the king of rock'n'roll's own hometown of Memphis, Tennessee,
staying at Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel (001 877 777 0606;
www.elvis.com/epheartbreakhotel), just across the road from Graceland? This has
everything, from Elvis-inspired rooms and suites to a cinema where you can watch
reruns of Elvis movies, and nearby themed shops such as Love Me Tender Boutique,
where you can pick up an Elvis-inspired jumpsuit, should you so wish. You can
even renew your vows in the Elvis Wedding Chapel or savour a deep-fried peanut
butter and banana sandwich. Thomson Worldwide (0871 230 2770;
www.thomsonworldwide.com) offers three-nights from £599 per person based on two sharing, including flights and accommodation. (News, Source: THe Independent)

Saturday 30 August 2008

"Down In The Alley" October FTD: The October release in the 5" series has been given a name: Down In The Alley. It will be a double cd with soundboard recordings from the August 1974 season in Vegas. The official cover art is not published at this time.(News, Source: ElvisMatters/Elvis News)

Hi Everyone, With so many Elvis Tribute Contests that go on annually and the disappointing and sometimes downright shocking results that sometimes occur, I think its time that the fans, performers and people involved in these contests start a campaign to voice opinions on what appears to be a complete breakdown on the importance of who will be judging these competitions. There is a tremendous amount of planning and organization that goes into putting Elvis Tribute Artists competitions together.

I just feel there seems to be a lack of effort put forth on picking who is going to be doing the judging. I continually hear about people being upset over how the judging of a contest was. Being an Elvis fan alone I feel does not constitute the expertise needed to intelligently judge others in a contest. Of course basic knowledge is needed but do you know enough about Elvis, his mannerisms, stage presence, singing and overall persona to be able to accurately score a contestant in a competition?

I feel sometimes a contestant will come out on stage, exaggerate their moves, shake their backside, make the crowd go nuts with yelling and screaming and that alone is enough to sway the judges to overlook other aspects of the judging and scoring process for the competition. The judges for these events need to be able to pass a certain criteria themselves before being able to say their qualified to give a unbiased and experienced opinion on who is the best for each respective contest.

I know this might be difficult to do and each contest is ran independently but the organizers of these contests need to together to come up with a realistic plan on whos qualified to be a judge for their contest.If there is a basic criteria being followed by contest organizers to have the most qualified judges associated with their contest, then I feel these are the contests the performers will want to be involved and associated with.

If you're trying to find the best of the best, doesn't it make sense that the judges should also be the best of the best as well? How do you feel about this and do you think this is a good idea?

Just reading the page about the Elvis is alive conspiracy. The only real question for the people who think Elvis faked his death, Elvis was very sensitive to his image and how people viewed him. If he was going to fake his death - would he really fake a death in the bathroom and leave the door open for endless "The King died on the throne" jokes?

I think not.

An Elvis faked death would have been more dramatic - car crash, boat accident - something big, macho and splashy. As for the unclaimed insurance policy - I haven't read it naturally - but there may be a very simple reason why it's not cashed. The terms of the policy may not cover drug related deaths.

Given the Dr. Francisco's superficial claim for the cause of death - heart stopped - the Insurance company would have likely been able to demand the autopsy results - which would have revealed the drug amounts way before 20/20's news story. Heart stopped isn't a cause of death - it's what cause the heart to stop that's the cause of death. As the excellent Thompson and Cole book revealed, Elvis died from a codeine allergy and polypharmacy. Sadly topical because polypharmacy is what killed Heath Ledger.

And the Insurance Company could probably have reasonably claimed in court that the death could have been a suicide - and not pay out. So, rather than risk exposing Elvis' drug use - and opening up a suicide claim to avoid payment (not saying he did suicide, just that circumstances could be interpreted that way) - the Estate decided to side step the risk of damage to Elvis' image and not make a claim that would be potentially made public and in court.

As for The Presley Commission - despite being a legit non-profit society - anyone can incorporate anything - it doesn't make them official or provide any authority or legitimate standing. If they have actual evidence - documents and the trail of the documents - provide them. Until they do produce evidence and documentation - they are nothing but empty words. They are a self appointment group who have no authority or mandate outside of themselves - and they make a lot of noise about their point of view, but offer no evidence.

Beeny - if your mystery doctor didn't want to get involved with a lawsuit with EPE, then it's not reasonable that he would illegally be in possession of any Elvis medical samples and records - much less be providing them or access to them to people who are not authorized to view them such as yourself. He simply would not have a reason to be in possession and lacks motivation for sharing. Whatever samples you have, you cannot prove are at all connected to Elvis in a substantial and transparent manner.

Distant cousin of Elvis’ sentenced to jail: No one's throwing a party at the county jail for inmate Kristopher Presley, a distant cousin of Elvis Presley and an aspiring hip-hop artist who pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in District Court.

That doesn't mean the inmate who calls himself "Thug Presley" has regrets about leaving.
District Judge David Barker sentenced Presley to 18 months to four years in prison for a fatal confrontation in 2004. Since Presley already has served more than 1,100 days in jail during the case, he is essentially a free man. He is expected to be released soon from the Clark County Detention Center. Speaking in a slow Southern drawl, Presley told the judge that he regretted killing Martin Diaz-Barboza after getting into a fight outside a mini-mart on Tropicana Avenue near Boulder Highway. A police report said the confrontation grew out of a racial slur uttered by a friend of Presley in front of a couple of Hispanic men, including Diaz-Barboza.

Presley said he wants to get the experience behind him."I regret what happened. I'm so sorry," said Presley, a native of Tennessee who lives in Las Vegas on and off to pursue his music career.Authorities said Presley struck Diaz-Barboza with his SUV and then ran over him. A Las Vegas police detective who investigated the collision said in a police report that Presley didn't brake during the incident.Presley left the scene after the crash but was taken into custody shortly after the killing. He initially denied that he was driving the SUV but then said it was self-defense. Presley's attorney, Greg Denue, said his client often cries about the killing when he talks about it.

"He's tried to get on with his life," Denue said. "With his music career, he has a very bright future."

Presley has the same piercing blue eyes as Elvis, but that's where the similarities end. At 25, he keeps his brown hair cut short and has a row of gold teeth that flash when he smiles. Presley has worked a variety of jobs but has dreams of following in the footsteps of his famous cousin and becoming a world-famous singer.He has focused on hip-hop and said he'll soon release his first major-label album, titled "White Gold."Denue, who also advises Presley on his music career, has been pushing him to sing country music too. "Your last name is Presley. I want you to think NASCAR and pit stops," Denue recalls telling Presley. But in an interview at the jail, Presley said he's going to be a hip-hop artist.

"It's like the modern-day rock 'n' roll," he said.

Presley said his great-grandfather was a first cousin of Elvis' father, but he added that he has no connection to the wealth associated with Graceland. Presley downplays his connection to Elvis, a link that was discovered through other sources.

Presley grew up in a single-parent house in a poor area of Memphis, Tenn., and said being raised there informs his music. He has moved between Memphis and Las Vegas since he was 16. His mother lives in Las Vegas and was to star in a reality television show that would have had her date Elvis impersonators, Denue said. The show wasn't picked up. Ignacio "Nachi" Jimenez, Presley's manager, said Presley, a father of three, essentially raised himself. Jimenez said he's known Presley for about five years and believes he'll go far despite his rough background. "

He grew up on the streets living a real rough life," Jimenez said. "I felt bad for the kid that he had such a rough life." But Presley said growing up poor is one of the things he has in common with Elvis."He came up from the projects too," Presley said. (Odd Spot, Source: David Kihara, Review Journal)

Elvis hits #1 again: The new DVD which gives insight into how Elvis Presley changed entertainment forever in Las Vegas is the No. 1 selling video on Billboard’s music video chart.“Elvis: Viva Las Vegas,” released in collaboration with Memphis-based Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., details Presley’s career in Las Vegas and includes rarely seen footage of performances, interviews from Presley’s friends and special performances from top performers including the Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia.

Two other Presley videos also made the top 10 on the chart, with “Elvis: #1 Hit Performances & More Vol. 2” taking the No. 5 spot, and “ Elvis: #1 Hit Performances” taking the No. 6 spot. (News, Source: Memphis Business Journal)

SpongeBob Squarepants to face Elvis:Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has commissioned a painting of kids cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants. The singer is getting an artist to recreate the cartoon sponge in the style of pop artist Andy Warhol. The finished artwork will then hang in his living room for all to see alongside pictures of Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix.

Gallagher said: "SpongeBob is a fucking mental, full-of-beans, enthusiastic sponge that lives at the bottom of the sea in Bikini Bottom. He's mad for it." He went on to say another character in the cartoon, called Squidward, reminds him of his brother Noel.

Liam, who went to the premiere of the cartoon character's movie back in 2004, told Q: "I'm having a painting done at the minute, a proper Andy Warhol-style portrait of SpongeBob. He'll be facing Elvis and Hendrix." (Odd Spot, Source: NME)

Friday 29 August 2008

Influences on the King - Shake Rag!

What factors shaped the young Elvis and his later style as a performer?

There were a number of particularly important elements, which over time, made Elvis who he was as an adult.

Exposure to the "Shake Rag" part of town was one such factor...........it was a powerful influence in his performance style as he drew froim its rich and colorful experience of movement and music.

Chart Update: On this week's ARIA Music DVD Chart in Australia, the Comeback Special DVD drops 7 places to #34 while Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii re-enters the Top 40 at #36. The fact both DVDs continue to be certified only 2xP after nearly 50 weeks each on the chart and many weeks at 2xP, is indicative of the relatively low sales of music DVDs in Australia for titles outside of the weekly Top 20. (News, Source: ARIA/EIN)

The 1972 New York Experience DVD: Due for release as a real DVD on the Phoenix XP Productions import label is the DVD "The 1972 NY Experience" containing remastered footage of all four shows Elvis gave at the Madison Square Garden in 1972 including the complete Afternoon Show. Also added is the complete press-conference, interviews, reports and more according to the information. The set has a running time of 180 minutes and the DVD is region free. (News, Source: Elvis News)

Bonus tracks on 3CD set: The SONY / BMG Legacy Recordings website added the tracklisting for the third additional disc of the "3.0 version" re-issue of the "Essential Elvis Presley" three disc set in the EC. These tracks are in addition to the tracks found on the original two disc version of the CD.

Tracklisting:
1. Good Rockin’ Tonight
2. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
3. King Creole
4. Such A Night
5. I Feel So Bad
6. Guitar Man
7. Only The Strong Survive
8. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me

Update on Major Elvis websites blocked in China: On 25 August we reported that two of the world's biggest and most popular Elvis websites, EIN and FECC, were banned by China's Internet Police, i.e. Internet users in China cannot access the sites!

Well, we dug a bit further and found that EIN and FECC are in rare company as the following major Elvis sites are NOT BLOCKED in China: EP Gold...........Elvis Unlimited........Elvis World Japan...........Elvis Matters.

"Trying To Get To You": This is the cover art for the upcoming Straight Arrow release "Trying To Get To You"
as recorded live in Rochester, New York at the Community War Memorial, May 25th, 1977. That concert was previously released on the Great Dane impot label with the title "Jailhouse Rock Man In Concert". The CD is due september 2008.

From the press-release: Elvis' May '77 tour was very uneven, compared to all his earlier ones. He performed 14 shows in all, and at the beginning of tour, he was lethargic and looking really unwell. There were alarming moments, like when Elvis left the stage in Baltimore, MD, for 20 minutes or when he did very lackluster shows in Philadelphia on May 28th or in Baton Rouge on June 1st. However, as the tour progressed, on some evenings Elvis showed that he could still deliver. Recorded evidence shows that the best concerts are May 24-27, May 30 and June 2nd. The Rochester, May 25th, 1977 concert as presented on this CD was the 6th stop of the tour, and his 1st concert in New York State in '77.

Even in '77 there were moments of brilliance in some of Elvis concerts. In Rochester, Elvis appeared to be in a good mood and in strong voice, giving solid performances of "You Gave Me A Mountain", "One Night", "My Way" and "Hurt" among others. One song that deserves special mention is the title song. For some reason, "Trying To Get To You" was probably the only classic 50s track that Elvis always treated with respect - even in his last months.

The audio-quality of the recording is quite good. As you've come to expect from us, Straight Arrow managed to obtain the ORIGINAL TAPE as recorded by the same person that taped the Richfield '76 concert, which we released earlier this year. The recording was completely restored and the sound was upgraded for the best possible listening pleasure.

It's almost unnecessary to add that Straight Arrow will present this CD with a full-colour, 16-page booklet with approximately 40 photos from the actual concert, incl. some never-before seen ones. The producers note that this concert was previously released from a substandard source, with the rather silly title "Jailhouse Rock Man In Concert" (Great Dane label, 1993). The sound of this CD which also had a couple of glitches and mastering errors is not to be compared with the rich and atmospheric audience sound on our new release. Why settle for a Lada when you can have a brand new, shiny Cadillac? Do yourself a favour and get this little beauty today. Rock with the King, '77 style we assure you, even the cynics among you will be pleasantly surprised!

New iTunes Elvis albums: Various Elvis "albums" were released through iTunes; the "50's Movie Collection" is a 62 track compilation with material from Elvis' first movies. It was released on the Stardust label with February 4, 2008 as the release date but only just popped up in the iTunes store.

Released on the Revolver label are the three releases "Birth Of The King (16 tracks), "At The Sun" (19 tracks), "The Early Years (13 tracks) on July 1st. 2008 and "Elvis Christmas Album" (12 tracks) with May 6, 2008 as the release date.

"The Christmas Spirit" comes with January 1, 2008 as the release date. This compilation contains Christmas and early rock and roll recordings. (News, Source: iTunes /Elvis News)

Elvis Presley et le Quebec, une histoire d'amour: Released August 26th only in the Province of Quebec in CANADA, is this 15 track Sony/BMG, Tandem release.

Elvis Story on Dutch Radio: The Dutch Radio 227 will broadcast the story of Elvis every Sunday evening from 20.00 till 22.00, starting August 31. The story will provide one year of beautiful radio! You can listen to Radio 227 by cable or the world wide web. More information www.radio227.nl. The programme is presented and produced by Fred van Veen.(News, Source: Today Tomorrow And Forever /Elvis News)

All Shook Up as Elvis world record attempt fails!: ELVIS Presley fans tried to break the world record for the biggest gathering of lookalikes — but failed when dozens arrived without a proper costume.

More than 170 wannabes turned up to sing Viva Las Vegas as part of the record bid. But 63 were banned for not dressing up enough. One man’s “costume” consisted of a pair of sunglasses. Others simply turned up in jeans and T-Shirts — with their hair combed into a quiff.

Organisers had hoped to gather more than 147 Elvises to beat the existing record — set by Australians in 2001. But Pauline Giles, who ran the event in The Ship Inn at Par, Cornwall, admitted only 110 were “up to scratch”.

She said: “It wouldn’t be right to claim we’ve broken the record.

“But it was great looking out of the pub and seeing dozens and dozens of people wandering down the road all dressed up as Elvis.” (News, Source: Alex West, The Sun)

More details on SHM-CD Re-issues in Japan: Due for release on October 22, 2008 from BMG Japan on the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (fully compatible with standard CD) are five Elvis titles. They most come with bonus tracks.

Bonus tracks on each album:

Elvis Presley: Heartbreak Hotel, I Was The One, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Shake, Rattle & Roll, My Baby Left Me and I Want You, I Need You, I Love You

EPE's shop merchandise:Elvis Week 2008 merchandise is now available at ShopElvis including t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, magnets, buttons, and more!

For our final Elvis month promotion, August 25 - August 31, with the purchase of any 2008 Elvis Week t-shirt, you can save 15% on ALL 2007 Elvis Week & 30th Anniversary merchandise. There are limited numbers of 2008 Elvis Week t-shirts so act now to get one while they are still available!

Bogus Elvis quits Vegas with tons of tenants cash: It is typical of the kind of property scams happening across the United States, currently facing one of the worst mortgage crises in history. But this case has a special Las Vegas twist.

Nevada police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are on the hunt for an Elvis impersonator who also poses as a lettings agent.

Elvis Nargi, who sports lamb-chop sideburns, white track suits and a hefty collection of gold chains, allegedly broke into dozens of foreclosed homes in the Las Vegas area. He then changed the locks, and rented them out to unsuspecting customers. Nargi operated from a respectable-looking office called American Executive Realty set in a Las Vegas shopping mall. Authorities know he rented out at least 70 properties – and believe there may be hundreds more they have not found yet. Estimates of his earnings run as high as US$300,000 (Dh1.1 million) a month.

“Two of my brokers discovered him,” said Harry Hall, a Las Vegas property agent. “They went to show one of our listed properties and found the locks had been changed and the ‘for sale’ sign taken down.”

A woman who answered the door told them Nargi had rented her the home. Another Las Vegas property agent, Kristina Pearson, said she had lost thousands of dollars on a foreclosed house Nargi had also rented out illegally.

“We had a buyer for the property, but since it took us weeks to evict Nargi’s renter, we lost the sale,” Ms Pearson said, adding that cleaning up after the tenant would cost her more than $1,000.

Agents and investigators say Nargi typically rented properties to former criminals, new immigrants and people with poor credit, offering not to check their credit history as long as they agreed to pay their monthly rent in cash.

“The woman who had taken a lease on our place said she couldn’t believe the great deal she got,” said Ms Pearson. “She thought it was too good to be true; and it was.”

Amid one of the worst credit crises to hit the US real estate market, Nargi had a host of homes to choose from. August data from Realty Trak found 17 per cent of the 4.5 million homes for sale across the country were in foreclosure. Authorities say similar property scams are taking place across the United States, where tens of thousands of homes are in or facing foreclosure. In the most common swindle, unscrupulous “loan rescue agents” offer to help families refinance their debts. They convince desperate owners to sign over the property title, and then rent them their own home.

The agents promise to pay mortgage fees from the rent, but normally just take off with the cash, meaning the family’s home goes into foreclosure anyway, and they no longer have the title.

Last week, the attorney general in Missouri filed a lawsuit against seven firms found to be cheating desperate families out of their homes. In California, one of the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, the government now warns families about foreclosure con artists on its website.

In other cases, thieves have taken to breaking into foreclosed properties and ripping out copper pipes, air conditioning units and even window frames.

Nargi’s technique was nothing new to investigators either.

“This is actually an old scheme,” said Pete Dustin, an officer from the Las Vegas police department’s fraud division which is hot on Nargi’s trail. “It reared its ugly head again when this housing crisis began.”

Nargi claimed “adverse possession” of the homes he rented out, according to Mr Dustin, using a little-known US law which in some cases allows squatters to take ownership of an abandoned property. The problem is, at least five years have to lapse before adverse possession laws come into effect. Nargi tracked foreclosures on real estate websites, breaking in and taking over the homes just weeks after they went into foreclosure.

Ryan and Rachel Summers are a young Las Vegas couple who rented a home from Nargi. Facing eviction, they tried to confront him with the help of a local TV news crew.

They arrived at his office with cameras rolling, only to find the Elvis impersonator had left the building – and possibly the state.

“I kind of expected it,” a dejected Mr Summers told TV8 News.

The Nevada police and the FBI are building a case against Nargi, according to Mr Dustin, adding the real victims of these scams are not tenants like the Summers, but the banks who own the properties. Some believe Nargi fled to San Diego, California, where his company’s website lists another office.

A woman who identified herself as Anne Nargi answered the phone at that number when called by The National.
She refused to comment on her relationship to Elvis Nargi, would not explain why his name was on the website or admit to knowing the charges against him.

“Finding Elvis is your problem,” she said “I don’t know where he is.”

Ms Pearson said Nargi had probably decided to remain in Las Vegas, a city which lists more Elvis impersonators in its phone book than stockbrokers.

“Here, he blends in,” he said. “Anywhere else, with that look, he’d stick out like a sore thumb.” (News, Source: Gretchen Peters, The National/Charmaine Jensen-Voisine)

Drewmania - is he bigger than Elvis?: Drew Wright was largely unknown here before he auditioned for Canadian Idol. Four months later, "Vote 4 Drew" T-shirts are worn all over town, there are giant Drew Wright billboards, posters in store windows and supportive words on businesses' outdoor signs.

"It's overwhelming. I'm caught up in a state of shock," said Wright, 28, a former house painter who's in Idol's top four, on his return to Collingwood on the weekend. Drew-mania has swept the Georgian Bay community known in part for its annual Elvis festival. "Even McDonald's has my sign. You hope you get the support from your hometown, you hope that the people will stand behind you, but I never expected anything like this," Wright said in an interview.

Wright had a loyal following around the local bar scene before Idol, but like many residents, Kathy Wolfe-Reynolds had never heard of him until she spotted "Vote 4 Drew" signs after he made it to the Top 16.

Now she is driving a "Drew-mobile."

"I decided to watch the show to see what it was all about and I was so impressed that I decided to put Drew graphics on my car if he made it to the Top 10, " said Wolfe-Reynolds, whose Pontiac Vibe sports two giant graphics. Her friend Wendy Harris White has followed suit (she already had a very tenuous link to Wright: his father Ted was janitor at her children's school). Harris White's car graphic brings the number of Drew-mobiles in town to four. The others are driven by Wright's uncle, Rick Graham, and family friend John Gabriele.

Gabriele and his family have spearheaded the "Vote 4 Drew" campaign since Wright made the Top 200, but even he's been surprised by the outpouring of support.

"The response from the community has been overwhelming," said Gabriele. "It started with just three of us and now Drew has 42 sponsors, and people are constantly calling me to ask what they can do to be part of this."

Starting before dawn on Friday, Gabriele and 53 volunteers set up a huge street party for Wright's return to Collingwood. The main street was closed, a giant stage and sound system set up, more than 10,000 envelopes stuffed with Wright memorabilia and a local grocery store began cooking "Drew burgers" on a giant barbecue. By the time Wright – with his trademark beard shaved off for the visit – was escorted to the stage by Canadian soldiers from the Area Training Centre in nearby Meaford around 5 p.m., organizers estimated the crowd had topped 10,000, in a town with a population of 16,000.

"It's good to be home. Man, I feel like I've been gone for 10 years," said Wright before a rock concert that included covers of U2 and David Bowie songs.

Wright, who has been close to elimination for the last two weeks, thanked his fans for their support. "Do you have any idea what this means to me? I love each and every one of you and want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

"I know my community is doing its part; it's the rest of Canada that I have to worry about," he said.

Wright's performance was far more animated than his TV appearances, with him climbing on top of the huge speakers and engaging the crowd in hand-clapping. At one point he took a sip from a bottle of water then tossed it to a group of screaming young girls in front of the stage who pushed each other out of the way to try to grab it. Wright's long-time girlfriend Lindi Green wasn't fazed.

"I'm not one to be jealous. He needs his fans, they are the ones supporting him through this," she said.

Even Wright's dog Buster – a bijon poo – has become a celebrity. "Kids are always outside the house asking if they can pet Drew's dog," said Green. Tonight he and the remaining Idol contestants – Mitch MacDonald of Port Hood, N.S., Earl Stevenson of Lloydminster, Alta., and Theo Tams of Lethbridge, Alta. – perform at 9 on CTV. Tomorrow, they will learn which three get to continue in the talent contest. With tonight's appearance obviously weighing on his mind, Wright asked his fans to "do your part to get me through one more week."

Then he got on with enjoying the show. "Thank you for making this the best day of my life," he said. (News, Source: Roberta Avery, The Star)

Feeling the blues of Elvis' Memphis: Y'all know me! I love Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, soul music and I have a Big Star tattoo. I expected to be so charmed by my first visit to Memphis that I'd want to stay. I struggled to leave Nashville after a visit last year, and I assumed a similar scene in Tennessee's other music city.

As it turns out, Memphis is Nashville's dirty, drunken cousin.

The Memphis vibe is downtrodden, man. Broken. Cab drivers curse the long-standing mayor, Willie Herenton. The hotel desk clerks warn not to carry purses on Beale Street (the Memphis "strip"). The city's wild with graffiti: on chairs, benches, lampshades, even on the gates of Graceland. And the major tourist attractions stand among blight and fast- food chains, and are rather inaccessible to tourists.

Checking in at the hotel early Saturday night, my trio of ladies was met with a multi-employee conversation about what to do about the puddle of regurgitated Beale Street consumables some chick had in the lobby. "So, ah, it's pretty early for people to be that drunk, isn't it?" I asked the clerk.

"Not in Memphis."

Neighboring Beale Street was our first outing. No cars run through the entertainment section of the street, though you do see young men performing acrobatic feats for drinkin' money. The feeling is one of spring break revelry, only with people of all ages, plus ribs and the blues. Ladies wear near-complete outfits and strut along as dudes holler, "Hey Girl! Girl!" and drink Bacchus-knows-what from plastic pails and 4-foot high bone-shaped glasses.

We greeted the morning with Sun Studios, and the magic sound from that place has to come from its ceiling. I've never seen another like it; it is shaped like a stretched-out letter W. The Studio is pretty much the same as when Elvis first came in to, as legend has it, record a birthday song for his mother. However, the tour sets you straight on this: Dear Gladys had celebrated her birthday four months prior.

And oh, that studio microphone. Oh the stand! I had never wanted to tongue-kiss inanimate objects before this. And just as I was planning my move, the tour guide said we could take pictures but no kissing or licking. Curses.

We saved Graceland for last, and the home and its grounds are wonderful places where I felt quite close to the King. Many of his suits are on display, so you get a sense of his size - not as tiny as most rockers. You learn about his tastes, see where his peanut butter sandwiches were fried up and admire the halls of gold records, movie posters and tour memorabilia. So much output in so few years. You also see the piano where he played his last song: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

The energy and sorrow in the meditation garden hung on my heart like a 10-pound weight. We had (strategically) just missed Elvis week, so the grave was decorated with tributes from around the globe. And whose arrangement did I see on the way out? Why, a bouquet from the Elvis Fever Fan Club in Jacksonville. (News, Source: Laura Capitano, The Times-Union)

Monday 25 August 2008

New Madison album announced: The next Madison label release will be Red-Hot In Richmond - Standing Room Only Tapes, Vol. 2.

This fiery performance (matched by fiery red infused cover artwork), captured in Richmond, Virginia by a battery of MGM documentary cameras on Monday, April 10, 1972, has been issued once before -- but this time it's far more complete, and in GREAT SOUND QUALITY. For the very first time, hear the show mixed down from MGM's multi-track tapes into superb STEREO!

Snippets of this evening made the final cut of MGM's "Elvis On Tour," although with hindsight, it seems this was a major mistake. Ripping tracks like "Proud Mary," "It's Over," "Hound Dog," "For The Good Times" "Polk Salad Annie" and "An American Trilogy" were top shelf. And Elvis was in very, very good humour the entire night -- oh, yes, you're in for a real treat.

Major Elvis websites blocked in China: One of the things EIN learnt as a result of the Beijing Olympics is that a number of Elvis websites are "off limits" according to the Chinese Internet Police.

Visitors to China could not access both EIN and FECC!!

Meanwhile, a number of other well known Elvis websites, including Elvis News, Elvis Australia and Elvis In Norway were/are freely available.

It appears the blocking of EIN and FECC is ongoing policy (for reasons currently unknown). (News, Source: EIN)

Chart Update: The "'Complete '68 Comeback Special" 4 CD box set dropped from #61 to #82 on the Dutch Album Top 100 chart. The 2008 re-issue DVD of this special climbs from #28 to #22 on the Music DVD Top 30 while the "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" re-enters the Back-catalogue Top 50 chart at #50. (News, Source: Elvis News)

Hi!! here's my ultimate listing for a R&B and blues Elvis anthology. Note: Songs not written by African Americans are off the list, even if they are blues-infuenced. Conversely, songs written by African Americans musicians and covered by Elvis within a year of the original are also excluded, as most of these songs are equally known in their original version.

A separate disk, containing such songs, can be easily produced. Finally, careful thought has been given to ensure that each song is followed by another with a similar sound, even if, on the rare ocassion, they have to be separated chronologivally . Disk 1 opens with five SUN recordings, leading to the progressive introduction of drums (My babe Left me), and then piano (Lawdy Miss Clawdy). Disk 2 initiates the stereo sound, and highlights a set of live recordings, at about the half point in the disk, eventually returning to studio recordings.

Elvis hits #1 on Billboard!: Elvis: Viva Las Vegas is number one on Billboard's Music DVD chart this week. Elvis: Viva Las Vegas is available for purchase exclusively at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. Purchase your copy of Billboard's number one music DVD today.(News, Source: EPE)

EPE on Elvis Week 2009: Planning is already underway for Elvis Week 2009. If you attended Elvis Week 2008 in Memphis, EPE says "we want to hear from you. We want to know which events you enjoyed, which you did not, how your expectations were met or exceeded or where you saw room for improvement. Please send your comments to: marketing@elvis.com.

Memphis International Airport - Elvis, Issaac Hayes, Martin Luther King or Memphis?: Discussion this past week about chaanging the name of Memphis' International Airport.

From FECC forum: For nearly thirty years Elvis fans have been trying to get two honors for the King which they have not been successful. One is making Elvis' birthday a national holiday. The other is to rename the Memphis airport the Elvis Presley International Airport. This week Memphis Democrat congressman Steve Cohen has spit in the face of Elvis and Elvis fans through out the world by proposing that the name of the airport be changed to the Isaac Hays International Airport. Cohen plans to introduce legislation in the house to have the name changed. With the current political make up of the house and senate. It is likely that acting purely upon political correctness that the name change could be approved. In an election year no one is going to risk being called a racist by voting against changing the name to honor an african american. If anyone is going to be honored by having the name of the airport changed that right belongs to Elvis. Contact your local congressman and senator and demand that if the name is changed that it is changed to the Elvis Presley International Airport.

Meanwhile, Elvis News published a report from Elvis Matters saying: "Each year round Elvis week, rumours are popping up that Memphis International
Airport will change it's name to 'Elvis Presley Airport'. With the recent
passing of Isaac Hayes, his fanbase is asking to name the airport after him.
Airport officials now responded to those rumours and denied everything. They
think that the current 'Memphis' name represents the city in it's best way,
honoring all the great names the city knows and have knew. It would be an
impossible task picking out just one name out of all those people who may
deserve it."

EIN Comment: Ever since Elvis' death fans have periodically pushed to have Memphis International Airport renamed in honor of Elvis. Similarly, supporters of Martin Luther King have mounted a similarly strong case. While Isaac Hayes was a great performer he cannot be put in the same socio-cultural league as Elvis or Martin Luther King.

Buddy Harman dies:Elvis News reports that Buddy Harman passed away at 8:30 PM last night (21 August) in Nashville. He was hospitalized a few months ago. Buddy played drums on many of Elvis' hit records including "His Latest Flame" and "Little Sister". Harman has played on several legendary sessions, Roger Miller's "King of the Road," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" being just a small list.

Bob Moore brought the news to Elvis Unlimited: "Sorry to send you this bad news but, Buddy Harman has passed away tonight at 8:30. I'm glad you got to meet him. He was one in a million." Bob Moore

Film planned based on the Sonny West memoir: RLF Victor Productions Ltd has announced plans for a movie behind the fame of the legendary Elvis.

Fame & Fortune, an exhilarating and haunting portrait of Elvis, as seen through the eyes of his dear close friend and bodyguard of seventeen years, Sonny West. From his rocket ride to fame as the premier innovator of rock and roll, to the abundance of life in Hollywood as the highest paid actor of his generation, Elvis enjoyed a phenomenal lifestyle that he shared freely with his closest friends and protectors, The Memphis Mafia.

As a personal bodyguard and close friend of Elvis for seventeen years Sonny West lived the roller coaster ride of celebrity excess. But as the pressures of touring and maintaining his public image mounted, Elvis turned to the escapism of overprescribed medicines that ultimately became a life ending dependency.

Sonny West experienced it all and this movie depicts not only the truth behind the fame of the legendary Elvis, but also Sonny’s desperate measures to try to stop the inevitable and save the man he called his best friend, mentor and boss.

The King of Elvii 2008!: Brandon Bennett is the best Elvis impersonator on the face of the earth. The Ponchatoula, La., resident and volunteer firefighter won the 2008 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest last weekend in Memphis. He's a regular performer at the Hard Rock and Silver Slipper casinos and has made his living impersonating The King for the last eight years.

"I never really paid attention to (Elvis) much," Bennett said in a recent interview. "My mom was the first person to tell me (I resembled Elvis Presley). I liked some of his music and had seen his movies but wasn't a huge fan. The more people told me that out of the blue, that's when I got interested to see what I could do with it."

Bennett began his Elvis career about eight years ago with the group "Pure Gold" in Bay St. Louis. He's constantly touring the region with his band and his phone has been ringing off the hook since he won Thursday against a field of Elvises from around the world.

His prizes include a commemorative remake Martin D28 guitar Presley used in 1956, valued at more than $11,000. He also won a replica of the gold belt Presley wore when he broke attendance records in Las Vegas. A gift certificate to Lansky's clothing store in Memphis is also included. Presley purchased much of his clothing from the store in the 1950s. The biggest prize of all, however, is having Elvis Presley Enterprises say he's No. 1 in the world.

"It's been something I never would have dreamed I would have been able to do," Bennett said. "Doing this has allowed myself and my family to have a pretty good life so far. I know I'm having a ball doing it right now, and I hope it continues for a long time. " (Almost Elvis, Source: Justin Hooks, Sun Herald/Charmaine Voisine)

Thursday 21 August 2008

The Sun Sessions (1954) - One of the 3 Top Events in Rock History!: The story of Elvis' fabled audition for Sun Records producer/label owner Sam Phillips in July 1954 is now part of American folklore — how Phillips had been looking for a white singer who could sound black; the serendipitous arrival in his Memphis storefront studio of a 19-year-old truck driver; the bland set of pop demo tracks he laid down with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black; and the sudden alchemy when Elvis Presley switched to Arthur Crudup's blues tune ''That's All Right (Mama).''

EW called this evening one of the top 3 events in rock history. Over the next few weeks and months, there would be similar fusions of country and R&B, including ''Blue Moon of Kentucky'' and ''Mystery Train''; together, these singles would launch Elvis — and rock & roll — into the stratosphere. Elvis' Sun recordings were finally compiled into a single, must-own album in 1976.(News, Source: EW.com)

Marty Lacker answers your questions:There has been a strong and very positive response to our interview with Marty Lacker. We have added a lot of your feedback with more to be added in the next few days.

Marty has also sent us a note thanking everyone for their feedback and also clarifying an important issue about Elvis.

The interview covers a lot of ground, including how Marty and Elvis became friends at high school to Elvis' marriage to Priscilla, the role of the Colonel, a world tour, the reality of Elvis' relationship with the Memphis Mafia and Marty's campaigning to have Chips Moman and the American Studio Band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Elvis Book Research announces latest nominees for inclusion in "Top 50 Elvis Books of All-Time": Dr John Walker from Elvis Book Research (EBR) advises EIN that the six latest books being considered for inclusion in the EBR Top 50 Elvis Books of All-Time list are:

UK release of Spankox remix: This is the cover art of the UK edition of the Spankox "Re: Version" of Elvis' classic "Baby Let's Play House" as shown on the His Masters Voice shop site in the UK. It is coupled with a remix of "Don't Be Cruel" and released on the SONY / BMG label on September 8, 2008.

Beryl's Cove and the Elvis Man:Book Description - Beryl's Cove is a quaint little fishing village, tourist mecca on the coast of North Carolina. Its inhabitants cater to the tourists that flock to it every year, but, this year is different. Suzanne Coldwell has been a buyer for her parents' antique shop for years, but, they are gone now, and, at age 50, she has to return to her native state to run the business. Hindering her efforts, and, those of her fellow merchants, is a series of vandalisms, and petty thievery. On the heels of a big storm that hits the area, is the appearance of a man who deals in Elvis memorabilia, Steve Thomas, from Norfolk . His past is shadowy, and, while falling hard for Suzanne, he seems to disappear just when she needs him the most.

Beryl's Cove is suddenly ablaze in a huge fire that destroys the town's landmark, right in the center of all the village businesses. Rallying to assist in putting out the flames, Steve endears himself to Suzanne, just when a body is discovered among the ruins of the historical Murdoch mansion. As our couple fall in love, and, unite as amateur sleuths to solve the mystery of the fire and thefts, you will meet the interesting and quirky folks who live in Beryl's Cove; the gorgeous business partner of Steve's, who threatens Suzanne's self esteem, an Elvis dealer who just can't seem to get her name right, and an adorable cat named Elvis. Come along for an enjoyable adventure, and, meet the citizens of Beryl's Cove, North Carolina.(News, Source: Amazon)

Whitehaven residents advised of EPE plans: City councilman Harold Collins told a packed house at Middle Baptist Church in Whitehaven on Monday night that investors plan to spend $250 million-$500 million on an overhaul of Graceland and its surrounding area. While Collins promised nearby residents that plans do not call for "roller coasters and Ferris wheels up and down Elvis Presley Boulevard," he said there will be extensive renovations in the Craft Road area.

Collins said Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. understands that its plans must be reviewed by town-hall meetings. With fellow council members Janis Fullilove, Edmund Ford Jr. and Myron Lowery also on hand, Collins shared what little is known about plans by EPE and its parent company, CKX Inc., for Graceland expansion.

EPE has bought $13 million worth of adjacent land already, including the soon-to-be-demolished Craft Manor apartments, and the plan calls for all Graceland-related operations to be moved to the east side of Elvis Presley Boulevard, with shops and restaurants on the west side.

This time, apart from introductory and closing questions from EIN, we asked you, our readers, to nominate questions for Marty.

EIN thanks Marty for taking the time to answer what turned out to be a diverse and interesting set of questions. We also thank you for providing questions for Marty.

The interview that follows covers a lot of ground, including how Marty and Elvis became friends at high school to Elvis' marriage to Priscilla, the role of the Colonel, a world tour, the reality of Elvis' relationship with the Memphis Mafia and Marty's campaigning to have Chips Moman and the American Studio Band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Back cover for "The Joan Deary Tapes" album: See original story below dated Tuesday 5 August. (News, Source: Elvis Nachrichten)

R&B pioneer, Jerry Wexler, dies: Gerald "Jerry" Wexler died of congestive heart failure in his Florida homeon August 18 at age 91. Long hailed as one of the pioneering figures of R&B (having invented the term, no less), Wexler launched the genre into mainstream popularity, and influenced the careers of artists like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.

Wexler worked as a reporter for Billboard magazine in the 1940s before joining Atlantic Records as a partner in 1953. He signed and produced a host of famous acts during his tenure at the label, including Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Dusty Springfield. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 for his longstanding contributions to the music industry.

Among modern record men, only Sam Phillips casts a longer shadow than Wexler. While Phillips pioneered an explosive combination of country and R&B by recording white Southern artists such as Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, Wexler remained focused on his first love -- jazz, the blues and their antecedents. Nevertheless, he helped develop a music that was no less audacious and racially iconoclastic.

Borrowing from gospel, jazz, pop and even classical music, soul was an amalgam of the tutored and the instinctive, its history a collaboration of white and black musicians creating what Wexler calls "immaculate funk," a music that, in the words of Atlantic arranger and producer Arif Mardin, "churned, but with precision."

Tom Thurman, who produced and directed a documentary in 2000 based on Wexler's life once asked him, "What do you want written on your tombstone, Jerry?" His reply? "Two words: More bass."

New Documentary Elvis: Return to Tupelo Premiers on bio Channel 9/11:.......also released on DVD with 60 Minutes of Bonus Features Available for Worldwide Distribution

A 90-Minute HD Special Tracking The Life of Elvis Presley from Birth to His Triumphant Return To Tupelo, MS in 1956 as His Star Begins to Soar

Los Angeles, Calif. – A new documentary, “Elvis: Return to Tupelo,” produced by Michael Rose and narrated by Kris Kristofferson, traces the Elvis saga from his birth during the depths of the Depression, to his move to Memphis, to his formative high school years, through his early struggles to launch a music career and wraps up with his triumphant homecoming concert in 1956, on the same stage where he’d lost a talent contest eleven years earlier.

This 90-minute special will premiere on the bio Channel (A&E’s spinoff of its long running Biography series) Thursday, September 11 at 9 PM EST and repeats again at 1 AM EST. The show will also air Sunday, September 21 at 1 PM EST.

Rose discovered this story while shooting a travel program on the Natchez Trace that took his crew through Tupelo. “While there we met local historian Roy Turner who introduced us to the fascinating and little known details of Presley’s early years. Turner opened up a world that we didn’t know existed,” Rose said.

According to Rose, this documentary reveals the cultural impact that Elvis Presley’s rocket rise to fame had on America. “He was a white man singing like a Black man at a time when the Civil Rights Movement was beginning to intensify. His raw sexuality and appeal to mixed race audiences, including lots of squealing young white girls, created a panic among parents, politicians, preachers and the press,” Rose continued. “He was a force for change that threatened and eventually helped to reshape the American cultural landscape.”

“We discovered the importance of the various musical influences, both sacred and profane, that shaped his life and his sound,” said Rose. “Tupelo was at the base of Appalachia and within listening range of the Grand Ole Opry that filled the air with country music. The town was just north of the Mississippi Delta that introduced Elvis to the blues. And the churches, both African American and white, gave Elvis a rich grounding in gospel music that continued to nourish his spirit.”

The documentary includes authentic recordings of American roots music from the Library of Congress as well as interviews with old friends, family members, co-workers and other eyewitnesses who provide personal, previously unknown insights into a story that many believe they already know.

Schoolmates describe how shy he was and how hard it was to convince him to perform. Others talk about how poor he was and how kids taunted and picked on him because he was different. The documentary follows his father’s incarceration in the infamous Parchman Farm prison and his mother’s relentless campaign to get him paroled.

His family never gained their footing in Tupelo and lost their house. They slinked out of town in the middle of the night – heading for Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis’ star would eventually shine. His talent, determination and charisma would conquer all adversity and create a loyal following around the world.

The program ends on a note of triumph – the return of Elvis to Tupelo for a Homecoming concert where he received the Key to the City and the screaming adulation of his fans. He’d come full circle and finally conquered the fears and doubts and opinions that had plagued him from birth. “Elvis: Return to Tupelo” is a timeless story about an American icon who not only changed the music world but whose shaking and singing paved the way for a more tolerant America.

To find out more information about the program, including additional air dates, and/or to order a DVD, log on to:
www.elvisreturntotupelo.com

The name “Elvis” ® and “Elvis Presley” ® are registered Trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. The program and the DVD “Elvis: Return to Tupelo” are not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
(News, Source: )

EIN Note: EIN recently viewed the DVD edition of Elvis: Return to Tupelo. This is a superb documentary which adds to the Elvis story. We will publish our detailed review shortly.

Kathy Westmoreland ill: Thanks to Amber Smith for the following information from Kathy's official YahooGroup site. It was posted by Kathy's personal assistant, June.

"Kathy has been ill for quite some time now. Bare with me, as this is long and complicated, but it will explain why you haven't heard from her or about her in quite some time and why I haven't said anything before now.

Kathy has what is classified as an epilepsy seizure disorder, usually caused by an injury (which hers was).

No, it is nothing like epilepsy and she does not have epileptic seizers, it is nothing like that, but it does leave her very ill when left untreated, which has been the case lately. Just one of her symptoms is that her eyes look like they're bleeding.

This is not a new problem for Kathy, as she has had it, but managed to keep it under control for over 30 years now.

The problem now is, she's recently had to change insurance policies, so she is going thru what we all know as re-existing problems. Her new insurance has her not only going thru all types of tests, and seeing different specialists but also having to go without her meds off and on.

This has been going on since way before Christmas and so far things aren't getting any better, so something we thought would only take a short time has turned into a long drawn out problem, with no immediate solution in site. They have her down for her next round of tests ------- as unbelievable as it sounds, October 1.

In summary, I talked to Kathy last night, and she hanging in there, as the trooper she's always been, and as the type of person she's always been, she was more worried that she hasn't been able to talk to her fans, and wanted me to stress how much she loves and misses you all. Hopefully the drs will get her straightened back out soon. Kathy is without a doubt one of the most wonderful people I've ever met "and" the kookiest. If you've ever met her, you know why Elvis loved her so.

She is one in a million. June"

EPE lifts mansion tour prices:Elvis Express Radio (E.E.R) listener Colin Paul tells us from Memphis.....If you now go on the platinum tour of Graceland don't expect to see the part of the house that once housed Elvis' trophy's. The building, which now holds exhibits like Lisa' burger bed, Elvis' guns, jewellery and other personal items has been removed by EPE and NOW can only be seen if you pay for the "V.I.P" tour, which is now $68 per adult.

As Colin rightfully said; "EPE never fail do they!"

EPE officials have apparently stated that the rise in prices is to counteract falling numbers due to the current economic squeeze. (News, Source: EER/FECC forum)

“Elvis, the New Rage, A Radio History from 1945 to 1955" book garners promotion as collection goes on display: More than 30 years after his death, Elvis Aron Presley continues to draw fans to his extensive music career. Aaron Webster of Mulkeytown has taken the 45s and record sleeves to another level, culminating in an exhibition that opened in The Buzz located on the Benton Public Square.

“The 45 rpm’s are in acid-free Mylar bags and under glass in 8x16-inch frames,” he said. “My archives include promos, LPs and CDs, more than 30 hours of audio of Presley’s work in the studio and on stage, including 1976 concerts in Carbondale, Champaign and St. Louis, Mo.” Webster said the verdict is still out on the selection of his first name.

“One of my parents says I was named for Elvis, but the other one says I was not,” he said. “I saw Elvis in concert when I was a kid. He was a superhero who was real. If Superman would have had a singing career, he could have been Elvis.”

Webster selected August to display part of his collection for a reason.

“Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977, in his Memphis home, Graceland,” he said. “I didn’t want the month to go by without having his memory on display.”

Webster said approximately 40 items from his archives are on display in The Buzz.

“I have been collecting Elvis memorabilia for the past 30 years,” he said. “Inside The Buzz, Elvis Presley’s platters are from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and beyond and are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico, South America, Japan and Australia. Most foreign-market sleeves were images of the Aloha concert or ’68 NBC, two events considered most iconic.”

Webster said most of the U.S. releases were manufactured in Indianapolis, Ind. “Elvis visited the pressing plant in 1955 and in 1977,” he said. “Seven thousand tons of albums of Elvis Presley’s music have been sold since 1954,” Webster said. “If they were played back to back, it would take 13,000 years to play them all.”

Webster’s research led to a book that took him three years to write.

“Elvis, the New Rage, A Radio History from 1945 to 1955,” was published in 2003, he said.

“Elvis took to the stage for the first time during the 38th annual Mississippi-Alabama State Fair held in Tupelo, Miss., on Oct. 3, 1945, during Children’s Day at the fair. WELO 580 was sponsoring an amateur talent contest,” Webster said. “Elvis’s fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Oleta Grimes, recommended he perform after hearing him sing ‘Old Shep’ during a morning prayer program at East Tupelo Consolidated School. He won fifth prize, earning him $5.

“Twelve weeks after the talent show, Presley received his first guitar as a birthday present on Jan. 8, 1946,” Webster said. “His mother, Gladys, did not want her son to have a rifle and could not afford a bicycle, so she selected a guitar for $7.91 with tax.”

Webster said Presley was introduced to his first radio personality shortly after receiving the guitar.

“A classmate of Elvis had an older brother named Carvel Lee Ausborn, who went by the name Mississippi Slim,” he said. “Ausborn worked as a guitarist with Goober P. Nutt (Gib Buchanan) and His Kentuckians, a band that originated on WDZ 1050 in Decatur. The group toured throughout Tennessee, Kentucky and Southern Illinois, playing $15 shows.

“According to Slim, he remembers the Presley boy singing on WELO on Saturday, May 15, 1944,” Webster said. “Elvis coerced the radio star to provide some guitar lessons.”

Webster said Presley launched his career as a radio personality.

“A radio program, Louisiana Hayride, was launched on April 3, 1948, in Shreveport, La.,” Webster said. “Elvis was invited to perform on Oct. 16, 1954. On Nov. 6, 1954, Elvis signed a one-year contract with KWKH Radio. The Louisiana Hayride program became the only country and western radio program to rival the Grand Ole Opry.

“He was on the top country music charts in 1955, with ‘I Forgot to Remember to Forget,’ which rose to number eight on the charts,” Webster said. Webster said Presley was the first to receive awards from Billboard magazine.

“During a disc jockey convention in the 1950s, Elvis received three awards during the third annual Country Music Awards,” he said.

Webster said Presley was the first to earn accolades in gospel music.

“He was the first million album seller in the history of gospel music with ‘His Hand in Mine,’” he said.

Webster said he saw Presley in concert.

“I was a young boy when I saw Elvis Presley’s final St. Louis concert in March 1976,” Webster said.

“My father and I were on Elvis Presley Boulevard to witness the funeral procession for the entertainer in August 1977.”

He said other music legends were interested in Presley’s career.

“George Harrison, John Lennon and David Bowie were all in the audience at one time or another to listen to Elvis,” Webster said.

Also a musician, Webster said he is looking forward to the Oct. 4 George Harrison Beatle Festival.

“My brothers and I perform in a band called Fusion,” he said. “We are slated to perform at 3 p.m. My nephew, Garry Peffer Jr., 10, will make his performing debut during our portion of the day’s event. I am really excited about seeing Pete Best perform later that day. I hope to be able to interview him.”

Webster, a disc jockey, produced and hosted a 15-hour Presley radio documentary that received a Silver Microphone Award for Best Audio Program National Finalist in 2000.

“I work at the I-57 Dragstrip on weekends and award copies of my book as prizes for Elvis trivia,” Webster said. “I have also donated autographed copies of my book and some Presley records I have matted to radio stations in Southern Illinois, Memphis, St. Louis, as well as Texas, Ohio and Virginia.”

The book is available at The Buzz, the I-57 Dragstrip and at
www.Amazon.com
, he said. (News, Source: Benton Evening News)

Washington Post reprints August 1977 tributes to the King: To mark the 31st anniversary of Elvis' passing, the Washington Post published an original news report by Washington Post staff writers Larry Rohter and Tom Zito from August 17, 1977:

Elvis Presley, who revolutionized American popular music with his earthy singing style and became a hero to two generations of rock 'n' roll fans, died yesterday in Memphis, Tenn. He was 42.

Shelby County Medical Examiner Dr. Jerry Francisco said last night an autopsy indicated Presley died of "cardiac arrhythmia," which he described as a "severely irregular heartbeat" and "just another name for a form of heart attack."

He said the three-hour autopsy uncovered no sign of any other diseases -- though Presley had in recent years been treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital for hypertension, pneumonia and an enlarged colon -- and there was no sign of any drug abuse.

Presley’s body was discovered at 2:30 p.m. Memphis time by his road manager, Jerry Esposito, in a bathroom in the singer’s multimillion-dollar Graceland Mansion. He was rushed to the Baptist Memorial, where he was met by his personal physician, Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, and pronounced dead.

Dr. Willis Madrey, a specialist in liver disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, said yesterday that two years ago Presley’s doctors sent him a sample of Presley’s liver for analysis. "It showed no significant abnormalities." Madrey said, "nothing of any help at all in evaluation."

"I had understood he was having some gastrointestinal problems his doctors were trying to evaluate," Madrey said. But "well over a year ago," Madrey added, he saw one of Presley’s doctors and was told "he seemed fine" and "the only problem he had medically was obesity."

Ginger Alden reportedly Presley’s fiancee and members of his staff were all at the mansion yesterday at the time the singer was found unconscious, Nichopoulos said.

In 1956, when Presley came crackling out of every radio and speaker in the land, young Americans notions about independence -- from parents, from religion, from the values of the time -- were forming. Elvis became "The King" of rock 'n' roll, but also of the emerging youth culture. He was a young, hip-thrusting, white singing music that was essentially black. Part of his attraction was that the '50s teenagers viewed him as epitomizing everything they thought their parents feared they would become -- cocky, slick, brash, tough, black-leatherclad, motorcycle straddling, stiletto-shoed.

Their hunches of their parents' fears were well confirmed after Presley’s appearance on a 1956 Ed Sullivan show. While millions of teenagers screamed in unison across the land, a Catholic priest in New York scorned Sullivan for this "moral injury" and condemned Presley for his "voodoo of defiance and frustration."

Overall, he sold more than 500 million records worldwide and made 33 films. He was a millionaire many times over and lived in a style that reflected it: ensconced in his Graceland Mansion behind locked gates, like the reclusive characters in "Citizen Kane," handing out jewels and Cadillacs to friends and even casual acquaintances.

No American performer had so broad an impact on culture around the world. In 1958, Communists blamed the influence of Presley for a riot in East Berlin as youths threatened to kill a border guard. In 1964, Presley received a write-in vote for President. A Memphis businessman who got in a fistfight with the singer had to close his shop because fans picketed the place.

His career began its ascent at virtually the same time of James Dean, another young star with a tough image, and Presley felt a sense of kinship with Dean.

Presley "knew I was a friend of Jimmy’s," said Nicholas Ray, director of Dean’s second film, "Rebel Without a Cause," so he got down on his knees before me and began to recite whole pages from the script. Elvis must have seen "Rebel" a dozen times by then and remembered every one of Jimmy’s lines.

Presley’s songs, particularly the early ones, expressed succinctly the rising rebellion of young people beginning to break from the Cold War doldrums of the Eisenhower era: "Have you heard the news/There’s good rockin’ tonight:" "You can do what you want/but lay off my blue suede shoes:" "Everybody in the whole cell block/Dancin’ to the jail house rock:" "Don’t be cruel/To a heart that’s true:" "Baby, let’s play house."

Born in Tupelo, Miss., on Jan. 8, 1935 -- his twin brother, Jesse Garon, died at birth -- Elvis Presley was 18 when he walked into a Memphis studio and paid $4 to record "My Happiness" and "That’s When Your Heartaches Begin" as a present for his mother.

Raised in a religious atmosphere, Presley had begun his singing career by performing hymns and gospel tunes with his parents, Vernon and Gladys, at concerts and state fairs. His parents bought him his first guitar at age 11, and he remained close to them even after acquiring a rebellious image -- his feelings for his mother, who died at age 46 of a heart attack were known to be especially strong.

Sam Phillips, owner of the studio, intrigued by the rough, soulful quality of the young truck driver’s voice, invited him back to practice with some local musicians. A few months later Phillips’ Sam Records released Presley’s version of the blues tune "That’s All Right," backed by the country song "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and the singer’s career was launched.

The synthesis of black blues and white country music made Presley a unique artist from the start and Memphis was quick to appreciate that. Presley’s recording went to the top of the local charts almost immediately, eventually selling 20,000 copies, and Presley was invited to appear on the Louisiana Hayride country show and at the Grand Ole Opry.

At the Opry, however, the first of the many controversies that were to engulf Presley almost caused him to give up his career. Told by the talent booker there that he was no good, Presley broke into tears and left his performing costume in a filling station.

He recovered quickly, though, and went on to record a whole string of hits for Sun Records, which sold his contract for $40,000 -- then a record -- to RCA in 1955. His first record for RCA was "Heartbreak Hotel," which early in 1956 made him a nationwide sensation.

Months earlier, in November 1955, Col. Tom Parker, an established country music agent, had concluded a management agreement with Presley. Parker was instrumental in arranging Presley’s switch from Sun to RCA and was to remain Presley’s manager to the end, shrewdly guiding his client’s career, limiting or encouraging public exposure in such a way that Presley was almost always able to command top dollar on the competitive concert and recording circuit.

Once, after Presley had been made an honorary narcotics agent by President Nixon, a White House staffer contacted Parker to request a musical performance. Parker told the staffer that Presley would be honored, and that his fee for the occasion would be $25,000. That ended that.

Six months after the record "Heartbreak Hotel" had rippled heartthrobs through teenage America, Ed Sullivan promised to bring "The King" into the nation’s living rooms: for $50,000 Sullivan signed Presley to three performances.

When the first show hit the airwaves on Sept. 9, 1956, the response was predictable. Sullivan showed him only from the waist up, rocking around on the tube. Record sales soared, and the critics had new ammunition.

"It isn’t enough to say that Elvis is king to his parents," wrote jazz musician Eddie Condon. "That still isn’t a free ticket to behave like a sex maniac in public before millions of impressionable kids. According to a scholarly friend of mine, Jackie Gleason, we’ll survive Elvis. "He can’t last,’ said Gleason, 'I tell you flatly, he can’t last.' "

New York Times critic Jack Gould observed: "Mr. Presley has no discernible singing ability. His specialty is rhythm songs which he renders in an undistinguished whine: his phrasing, if it can be called that, consists of stereotyped variations that go with a beginner's aria in a bathtub. For the ear he is an unutterable bore, not nearly so talented as Frank Sinatra back in the latter’s rather hysterical days at the Paramount Theater.

"From watching Mr. Presley it is wholly evident that his skill lies in another direction. He is a rock-and-roll version of one of the most standard acts in show business: the virtuoso of the hootchy-kootchy. His one specialty is an accentuated movement of the body that heretofore has been previously identified with the repertoire of the blonde bombshells of the burlesque runway."

And at the Washington Post, Richard Coe, reviewing an early Presley movie, spoke of the singer’s popularity as a manifestation of an "adulation of youth, youth that is raw, untrained, and undisciplined, youth which worships the most primitive urges and physical appeal, youth which has no truck with its elders.

"...This youth lives in a crowd and insists that it is lonely and misunderstood, appears to have no education, respect for customs or elders and no manners whatsoever."

Other performers, on shows with Presley, were puzzled by the strong reaction the young singer got from audiences. Jerry Lee Lewis took to closing his shows by standing on the piano in an attempt to upstage Elvis. But it did no good. Presley was even able to take others’ material -- like Carl Perkins’ "Blue Suede Shoes" -- and make it a hit of even greater magnitude.

"Elvis had the looks on me," Perkins once told an interviewer. "The girls were going for him for more reasons than music. Elvis was hittin' 'em with sideburns, flashy clothes and no ring on that finger. I had three kids. There was no way of keeping Elvis from being the man in that music."

A month after the first Sullivan appearance, 20th Century Fox was readying Elvis' first film for Thanksgiving release. Originally titled "The Reno Brothers," it was changed to "Love Me Tender" to capitalize on the song Presley had introduced on the Sullivan show. The studio made 575 prints of the film for its first run -- the largest in Fox’s history.

A year later Presley was drafted into the U.S. Army. Boarding a troop ship for an 18-month tour of duty in Europe as a Jeep driver, he told a reporter: "The first place I want go is Paris and look up Brigitte Bardot."

Presley was just another cog in the military machine, stationed in Frieburg, West Germany. But Col. Parker had ensured that Presley would not be forgotten during the two years he was away by having him record a stack of songs before leaving for Europe.

During his period of military service, Presley made no public appearances and completed only one recording session. Of the five singles released during Presley’s absence from the U.S. rock 'n' roll scene, all eventually became million sellers.

When Presley was discharged a sergeant early in 1960, he was still "The King," though stars such as Ricky Nelson had come along in the interim.

Presley returned from the Army to find that rock 'n' roll tastes had changed dramatically in his absence. Presley himself underwent a drastic change of style, eschewing his trademark sideburns and hip-shaking music in favor of romantic, dramatic ballads, such as "It’s Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"

These records proved to be as popular as his hard-rocking numbers, but Presley by this time was more interested in making movies than anything else. After an appearance on a Frank Sinatra TV special, in which he alarmed old fans by performing in tails, Presley retired from concerts and television for nearly a decade.

His movies during this period included such potboilers as "Fun in Acapulco" and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" disillusioning some fans even further. But in 1968, Col. Parker engineered a change of direction, and Elvis who had seemed to many to be old fashioned after the emergence of the Beatles in 1964, once again became the hottest thing in pop music.

"It was a staggering moment," writes Greil Marcus in his book "Mystery Train." "In the months preceding, Elvis had begun to turn away from the seamless boredom of the movies and the hackneyed music of the soundtrack albums, staking out a style on a few half-successful singles, presenting the new persona of a man whose natural roughness was tempered by experience. The records had been careful, respectable efforts, but now he was putting everything on the line, risking his comforts and his case for his chance to start over."

The vehicle of Presley’s comeback was a Christmastime TV special, broadcast by NBC. The response to that show encouraged Presley to get together with guitarist James Burton and pianist Glen D. Hardin; two of rock’s top recording session musicians and go out on the road again.

His audience on that concert tour -- and on his subsequent tours, which brought him to the Washington area three times in recent years -- was more mature than that of a decade earlier, reflecting perhaps the fact that Presley himself was settling down.

On May 1, 1967, Presley had married Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of a U.S. Army colonel. On Feb. 1, 1968, a daughter, Lisa Marie, was born to the couple. The marriage ended, after lengthy and expensive divorce proceedings, in October 1973.

After the divorce, Priscilla Presley, who the singer had begun dating while in the Army, was given custody of the child. Presley never married again, but it was recently reported that he was about to marry 20-year-old Ginger Alden. She was reportedly spotted wearing a $50,000 diamond engagement ring from Presley.

Reports of Presley’s declining health and increasing weight first date from the time of his divorce. By 1976, in the authoritative "Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock 'n' Roll," critic Peter Graining was moved to say, "It seems to be a continuing battle ... and Elvis is not winning. His hair is dyed, his teeth are capped, his middle is girdled, his voice is a husk, and his eyes film over with glassy impersonality. He is no longer, it seems, used to the air and, because he cannot endure the scorn of strangers, will not go out if his hair isn’t right, if his weight -- which fluctuates wildly -- is not down. He has tantrums onstage and, like some aging politician, is reduced to the ranks of grotesque."

Earlier this year, Presley canceled several performances in Louisiana and returned to Memphis for what his physicians said was exhaustion. And in Baltimore, he cut short a show and disappeared form the stage for several minutes, only to return claiming he had merely been answering "the call of nature." But after hearing of Presley’s death, Baltimore fan Beverly Hochstedt, who sat patiently outside the Baltimore Civic Center for 40 hours when tickets for his show there last March first went on sale, recalled not the erratic show, but the man.

"Oh, God, what can I say," sobbed the 31-year-old fan. "I just feel so lost, I feel shattered. I feel like I lost a very, very, close, very, dear friend, part of my own family."

Reaction among fans, performers and music industry executives elsewhere was also emotional. In Santiago, Chile, newspapers stopped the presses and radio stations changed their evening programming to recount the life of "El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll." In Memphis, the telephone system was reported unable to handle the volume of calls coming into the city from around the country. Hundreds of weeping fans gathered outside Baptist Memorial and Graceland Mansion last night.

Two European radio stations also suspended regular programming as soon as Presley’s death was announced. Radio Luxembourg, the continent’s most widely listened-to pop station, canceled all its commercials to play Presley’s music nonstop.

"This is the end of rock 'n' roll," said Bob Moore Merlis, an executive with Warner Bros. Records, who compiled an anthology of Presley’s early material several years ago for RCA. "The void he will leave is impossible to gauge," said Pat Boone, an early rival of Presley’s.

"The King is dead," said former Beatle John Lennon last night. "But rock 'n' roll will never die. Long live the King."

"His music was the only thing exclusively ours," said Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. "His wasn’t my and mom and dad’s music. His voice was a total miracle in the music business."

The White House said last night that President Carter will "probably issue a statement on Presley today."

Chart Update: On the Australian Music DVD charts the "'68 Comeback Special" DVD re-enters the chart at #27 while "Elvis The King Of Rock And Roll" drops from #26 to #31. The "Aloha Special" DVD has dropped off the chart.

In The Netherlands the 4 CD set "The Complete '68 Comeback Special" climbs from #100 to #61 on the Album Top 100.

The 'Viva Las Vegas' TV Special that is being sold exclusively through Wal-Mart stores in the U.S.A (see images above). is #1 in their Best-Selling Music DVD Chart. The DVD features many of today's artists paying tribute to Elvis. (News, Source: ARIA/Elvis News)

"Elvis Lives" DVD certified Platinum in the USA: Although earlier this year an announcement was made regarding new Gold and Platinum Awards, no upgrades were presented during ElvisWeek 2008.

A search in the RIAA database resulted in a Gold and Platinum certification for one Elvis title "Elvis Lives" (listed as "various artists").

This DVD was awarded Gold and Platinum on August 7th, 2008.(News, Source: Elvis News)

Rain doesn't stop fans attending Candlelight Vigil: Mary Lou Martell put it off as long as she could. But she finally had to head to Memphis for an anniversary vigil at Elvis Presley's grave.

"It's my first Elvis Week. I'm a little ashamed to say that, but it is," Martell, 60, said as she took part in a candlelight procession to Presley's grave at Graceland, his former Memphis residence. "We watched it on the computer last year and I finally said, `I have to be part of that.'"

The procession, called the "Candlelight Vigil," drew several thousand Elvis fans who lined up in the street in front of Graceland for a single-file procession up a long, winding driveway to his grave in a small garden.

Fans weren't scared away by an intermittent drizzle during the vigil, which began at 9:30 p.m. EDT.

"We're doing fine," Martell said, peeping out from the hood of a plastic parka. "It's just for Elvis we stay out doing this."

The vigil, which runs into the early morning, is the highlight of a weeklong series of fan-club meetings, dances and Elvis-impersonator contests to commemorate the anniversary of his death. He died of heart disease and drug abuse at Graceland on Aug. 16, 1977. He was 42.

Martell of Dunkirk, N.Y., said she visits Graceland often but avoided Elvis Week in the past because of the crowds. She came early for her first graveside vigil, though, setting up a lawn chair at 9 a.m. at Graceland's front gates.

Many Elvis pilgrims return each year, and the graveside vigil draws visitors from around the world. But it's largely ignored by Memphis residents.

Jennifer Hobson, 29, of Memphis and a group of hometown friends formed a "Blue Hawaii" club to try to change that and sent out vigil invitations to their friends.

The group set up a small canvas canopy in the street in front of Graceland and decorated it with inflatable palm trees, blue lights and an Elvis bust sporting a blue lei.

"This is part of our city," Hobson said, "but when we come down here, we rarely see people we know. Y'all need to come out."

Hobson said the group had to leave some decorations at home because of the rain.

"I have a velvet Elvis, but because of the rain we couldn't bring out all of our good stuff," Hobson said.

Graceland supports a sprawling complex of souvenir shops, and fans waiting for the procession packed the stores pouring over Viva Las Vegas bobble head dolls for $19.99, Burning Love scented candles for $14.99, Jailhouse Rock T-shirts for $24.99 and hundreds of other Elvis-flavored gifts and do-dads.

Nancy Rooks, a former Graceland cook, was set up at a souvenir shop table to sell her book, "Elvis' Maid Remembers," and talk with fans.

Generally, the 71-year-old Rooks said, the fans ask about Elvis' personal habits, when he went to bed, when he got up, what he liked to eat.

"I tell them he ate breakfast at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, but then he'd eat dinner at 1 o'clock at night," she said. "We always had a meat loaf cooked, just in case he wanted it. If he didn't want meat loaf, then we knew to give him roast beef. He liked soul food."(News, Source: Woody Baird, AP)

Appreciation: A Lower Key Elvis Anniversary: As anniversary years go, the 31st doesn't have the cachet of a 30th, even at Graceland, where the crowd gathering to commemorate Elvis Presley's death was expected to be perhaps less than half of last year's record turnout.

"But it's still an incredible event, having 30,000 people for a candlelight vigil," says Kevin Kern of Elvis Presley Enterprises.

The candlelight vigil, long the emotional highlight of the Memphis, Tenn., tradition known as Elvis Week, was set for Friday night. This year's Elvis Week, which commenced last Saturday, has consisted of the usual: fan convention; meets-and-greets with former Elvis friends and costars; postvigil spaghetti dinner and more. Today will find fans gathering for a midday memorial service at the University of Memphis.

The one thing the Elvis faithful can't do during Elvis Week, no matter what the anniversary year, is visit Graceland's second floor, which features the bedroom where Presley slept and the bathroom where the rock king died on Aug. 16, 1977.

"It's a common question: 'Are you going to put the upstairs on tour?' And the answer is no," Kern says. "It was a private living quarters for the Presley family, and it remains that way today. People are respectful of that. When you go through Graceland, you don't feel like you're entering a museum. It's a feeling of a home."

A home left behind by its most-famed resident 31 years today. (News, Source: Joal Ryan, E Online!)

In commemoration of Elvis' passing:

The King's Magic

A Poem by Walter Brooks

The angels smiled the night he came
Born of poverty and death at birth
In the wake of brutal war but future hope
Destined to become a King

When he first appeared before us
Young pubescent girls found ecstasy as their panties wet
Young men with pompadour and sideburns were eager to mimic his look
All wanting to reach the climax and experience the rush of his power

He broke the shackles on our freedom
He opened a shining door to the voice of youth and its fashion
While the rest of the world looked on in anger
A challenge to established power and stability
But as he rocked the world and served his country
The truth of his being was soon revealed

He touched our hearts, he touched our souls
His music woke us up and gave our lives new meaning
For 42 years he walked this earth to bring us joy
A golden ride - records, movies, making love at the drive-in
On stage he could not be surpassed...our adoration soared
What was his magic that touched us so?

A good ole country boy
Imprisoned by wealth and fame and internal doubt
The Man from Memphis has left the world, a billion tears shed
Richer it is for his talent, love and strength

A halo tarnished but now re-instated
A gift from God - an enigma of mortality and immortality
The colorful, the prosaic...a wondrous beacon beating wildly in the winds of change
What was his magic that touched us so?

Gilded clones now roam the land
Talent varying, but applause deafening
Others devoid of talent live vicariously in an instantly recognisable guise
Ageing rockers cherish their fading memories
The eyes and ears of a new generation are slowly receptive
Public fascination drives a formidable industry

25 years after, his flame shines more brightly
His presence lives on....and will live on, forever
Our dreams can never be destroyed
What was his magic that touched us so?

Saturday marks the 31st anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, forming the nucleus for a week of events, drawing an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 fans of The King and generating $40 million in revenue, said the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The entertainment icon is a powerful economic presence, pumping about $400 million a year into the local economy.

The throngs who began arriving for Elvis Week last Saturday to tour Presley’s mansion, Graceland, and his grave, as well as the city where he started his career at Sun Records, are never more fervent than during the buildup...(News, Source: Business News)

This performance, recorded in Greensboro, NC on Friday, April 14, 1972, in the presence of MGM's documentary cameras, has been issued previously, but never in such great sound quality according to the original press-release.

For the very first time, we hear the show mixed down from MGM multi-track tapes into superb stereo.

Robert F.X. Sillerman interview: Robert F.X. Sillerman, the president and chief executive officer of the company that owns Elvis Presley Enterprises, commented via a 20-minute recording to questions submitted to the official Elvis Presley web site. His response, recorded last week at the New York headquarters of his company, CKX Inc., was played at the Elvis Insiders Conference at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts Downtown.

It will be a big, interactive (you will be able to “talk” to Elvis), maybe they can get the street names “Elvis Presley Blvd West”. Elvis deserves a bigger presence in Vegas for what he did there.

What are your plans for Graceland –

The impact of economy may affect how fast what we do. Won’t be spending all of the money up front. But major pieces will be completed soon (“soon” being a relative term). Our current economic situation is pretty dire.

Sneak peak of plans?

Tied up with what happens with Memphis and TN We need approval. Once we know what we can do, plans will come out. Perhaps in 6 months.

Sillerman: I’m an Elvis fan – put your earplugs in and I’ll do my rendition of an Elvis song. I’m a big Elvis fans. Elvis and I have a long history.

Why did you want to buy EPE? Society has changed so much over the last 10 years, principally driven by the devices we have – ipods, dvds, internet, etc. we can now deal with iconistic people. Since it’s impossible for anyone else to ever attain the heights that Elvis did, it was our desire to be associated with this kind of talent, a talent that needs no definition, explanation. I can’t say when the idea precisely came to me, but after we sold our last entertainment company, we were looking for something.

What’s your earliest memory of Elvis -

I was studying classical piano (quite good, if I must say so myself), I had no awareness of rock
and roll or of Elvis. I had my little portable radio and there was no Yankee game on. So I heard an Elvis Presley song and was taken aback. I got out of bed to have my brother listen to it. He didn’t like it but I told him he was crazy. I was captivated then – by “Hound Dog”. I know it sounds funny, but it was almost a life-changing moment.

What did you think of the Celine Dion/American Idol duet with Elvis?

Every time I see that I get goosebumps. It’s the technology I was talking about. The idea emanated from CKX. Everyone I show it to says Elvis more than holds his own with Celine’s powerful voice.

Did you see Elvis in person?

Do you own the DVDs? I saw Elvis live 5 times – in college and after college. Once in Boston, 4 times in Vegas. When I watch the concert footage I am evoking the live experiences.

Elvis Radio – what’s your favorite era and song?

No one single favorite song. It changes all the time. I listen to 13 all the time. 50s era is my favorite. In the Ghetto, Lieber and Stoller songs.

Is there going to be an EP Theme Park?

No roller coasters and ferris wheels and things like that. There will be Elvis-themed features where you can come in with themes of Elvis’ life. Interactive. We can move things out of Graceland to display them elsewhere and restore the house to its original look.

AOL VigilCast: The spirit of Elvis Presley remains very much alive on America Online, the world's leading interactive services company, which will exclusively webcast the live "VigilCast" from Graceland on Thursday, August 15, starting at 9:30 p.m. EST, the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The live webcast will be available exclusively to members accessing the service via high-speed Internet connections, including the AOL High Speed Broadband service available in more than 40 markets with Time Warner Cable and nationwide via DSL. The VigilCast will be available on demand from elvis.com for fans beginning immediately after the live event and also from AOL Keyword: Elvis and www.music.netscape.com starting Friday, August 16.

The legendary candlelight vigil at Graceland is a highlight of Elvis Week, an annual event commemorating the life and career of Elvis Presley. The evening begins with the traditional candle lighting ceremony, in which a torch lit from the eternal flame at Elvis' gravesite in Meditation Garden, is passed throughout the thousands of fans gathered at the site, lighting their individual candles, before they walk through the gates of Graceland to Elvis' gravesite, and back.

In addition to the candle lighting ceremony, the three-hour broadcast hosted by Rod Starns and Joey Sulipeck will feature behind-the-scenes footage, celebrity appearances and interviews with Elvis' closest friends and associates, as well as the winners of a sweepstakes in which AOL members from five different countries and their guests were awarded a trip to Memphis to join in the ceremony.

AOL's live webcast of the VigilCast is part of a variety of offerings at AOL Keyword: Elvis that AOL has offered its members in anticipation of the 25th anniversary event and the September 24th release of RCA Records' ELV1S 30 #1 Hits, which will for the first time assemble Elvis Presley's 30 No. 1 hits on one disc. In addition to the sweepstakes to win a trip to the event in Memphis, AOL Music offered the exclusive world premiere First View of the "A Little Less Conversation" remix video, which was streamed approximately 700,000 times in just 11 days by AOL members and fans on the Web from around the world. Additional features include a Radio@AOL station devoted to the music of Elvis, behind-the-scenes footage of Elvis chatting with fans from Elvis - That's The Way It Is (courtesy of Turner Classic Movies), audio streams of Elvis hits, an exclusive photo gallery, and much more.

AOL Music will also debut music from the upcoming RCA Records release. Elvis Presley has received 88 Gold Records, 45 of which have been certified Platinum, and 22 have gone on to multi-Platinum status. He has also received more Gold and Platinum singles than any artist in history with 51 Gold singles, 27 of which have been certified Platinum with seven being certified multi-Platinum.

"Elvis Presley is undeniably one of the most beloved performers of all time and his legacy is alive and well among millions of fans around the world on AOL Music," said Bill Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Music. "Our Elvis promotions have been extremely popular with AOL members - in the U.S. and abroad - as well as on our leading Web properties. We're honored to play such a big role in this year's 25th anniversary event by uniting Elvis fans across the globe for live, high-speed access to take part in this special ceremony."(News, Source: www.itselvistime.nl / www.epgold.com)

Elvis' Palm Springs home for sale: Some names add cachet to a house years after they have moved on. Elvis Presley definitely falls into that category. Now his Palm Springs home, basically his "Graceland West" is up for sale in a pocket listing (meaning I can't direct you to a listing page). The home is located in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains in Palm Springs. Elvis lived in the home for almost eight years (he purchased it in 1970) and spent his last birthday there.

The approximately 5,000 square foot home has four bedrooms. Architect Albert Frey designed the Spanish-style stucco home which includes Presley's bedroom suite with two complete bathrooms, a sunken black and red tile tub, and dressing area. The living room has a cathedral beamed ceiling and overlooks the pool. The home is being sold with Presley's original kitchen appliances, a separate indoor sauna and steam room, plus his private covered Jacuzzi.

Just last year Reno Fontana and his wife, Laura bought the home and announced plans to restore it and offer it as a West Coast destination for Elvis fans. They also created a website dedicated to the home which does show a few interior pictures of the vintage decor and Elvis movie posters and gold records on the walls.

The property is approximately two acres and is listed at $17 million. For more information about the property, or to request a showing, contact Honey Brooks at 415.435.2585 or honeybrooksrealtor@comcast.net(News, Source: Luxist.com/Charmaine Voisine)

“Elvis Presley – Desert Storm: The Shattering Of A Myth! College Park: The Revelation Of A Hoax!” released: Darrin Lee tells is his book has been released. This A5 format, 220-page soft cover features the beautiful artwork of Night Rider Design’s Chris Middleton.

If you are interested in more information about this soft cover written in honor of The OEPFC of Great Britain’s Anne E. Nixon and dedicated to Lisa Marie Presley, please visit the author’s website at www.ElvisConcertMyths.com

Keith Alverson, whose images grace the front cover, will have a limited number of signed copies at Elvis Expo 2008 (along with a wide ar ray of his beautiful photos) so be sure and stop by to see him.

"Elvis gave me his truck": Warren Horton says he remembers the day Elvis Presley gave him a truck. It was back in 1976, said Horton, who was a deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.

Horton says he was at the shooting range, when Elvis' crew drove up in the pickup truck. It was a 1976 Chevy Silverado. According to Horton, someone in Elvis’ crew suggested he take the truck for a ride. Horton says he wasn’t the only one admiring the truck; other people were eyeing it as well.

The next day, Horton says, one of Elvis' buddies came back to the gun range with the truck and said, “It’s yours. Elvis just called. He went out to Vegas the night before and said you like that truck and he wants you to have it.”

Horton says he couldn't believe it and neither could his wife. “The whole time I’m saying ‘where did that truck come from’,” said Judy Horton.

But when Warren Horton told her, he says she responded sarcastically, “Oh, Elvis gave you a truck.”

But the proof was in the paperwork. Horton says he reached into the glove box and pulled out the title. He says Elvis’ name was right there at the top.

Judy Horton says her husband gave her that information as they were pulling into their church parking lot. She says when she went inside, “everybody was beginning to have their Wednesday night meal and I’m screaming ‘Elvis gave us a truck!’”

Warren and Judy Horton kept the truck for a few years, but say they had to trade it in. Warren Horton says he wonders what the truck would be worth today, if he could have afforded to put the pickup in storage to preserve it. (News, Source: Elvis News)

On this day: Today marks the 50th anniversary of Gladys Presley's passing.

Websites help you mark anniversary of Elvis' death: Saturday marks 31 years since the death of Elvis Presley, which makes it timely to hear his entire 1968 comeback special free on AOL, under "free CD listening party." At spinner.aol.com/artists/new-releases-full- cds?defaultTab=3.

The National Archives has an interesting exhibit of photos, let ters and memos giv ing "the be hind-the- scenes story" of how and why the meeting oc curred be tween Elvis and President Nixon in the Oval Office in December 1970. At www.archives.gov/exhibits/nixon-met-elvis.

The official site, not surprisingly, is www.elvis.com.(News, Source: The Plain Dealer)

Elvis statue returned!: The 6-foot-tall, 200-pound Elvis statue that went missing outside Cool and Eclectic Furniture and Fashions has been returned - in three pieces and caked with mud, store owner John Estes said.

Estes said two teenagers brought the battered statue to the Laskin Road store on Saturday, telling him they had found it in a wooded area near Alanton. They returned the statue's body, a detached arm, and the support base, which had been shorn off at the ankles. Each of the teens received a $30 reward, Estes said. He sells the fiberglass Elvis statues for $599.

The statue disappeared on the heels of the Beach's 14th annual Elvis festival, held in June at the Oceanfront. Since then, Estes said, he's been securing the statues he puts in front of his store and watching them more closely. In 2005, some one snatched a life-size Betty Boop statue outside his Shore Drive location, which is now closed. The body was found a block from the store. The head was never recovered.(News, Source: Greg Gaudio, The Virginian Pilot)

Elvis "Ed Sullivan" photos on sale: It was October 26, 1956, seven weeks after Elvis Presley's first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

The host didn't really want the hip-shaking rock 'n' roll star back on the family-friendly show, but big ratings beckoned. Sullivan corralled the King during rehearsal and made it clear that he couldn't do that thing with his hips.

The 21-year-old's reaction to Sullivan is priceless. Photos of that chat and other behind-the-scenes shots from that memorable night recently resurfaced after a half-century and are being made available to the public.

Young photographer Richard Weede was allowed on set for the rehearsal because his father, Robert Weede, who was starring in "The Most Happy Fella" on Broadway, also was appearing on the show that night. The negatives Weede snapped were relegated to a garage until his son found them in February 2007.

Limited-edition sets of three and six of the images are being made available at VintageKingPictures.com.

The site is expected to go live by the week of August 18. (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Singer to make TV debut in Elvis themed series: CONNIE FISHER is to make her debut TV acting performance as a low-paid parking attendant obsessed with Elvis Presley. The singer, who shot to fame after starring in reality contest, How do you Solve a Problem like Maria?, will appear in ITV1 series Caught in a Trap, out later this year.

Fisher, 25, from Pembrokeshire, will star as Gemma Parker – a young woman who is so obsessed with the American rock legend she begins to dip into the parking meter takings in order to boost her collection of Elvis memorabilia.

The Sound of Music star has said she is “thrilled” to have been cast in her first television drama, and has just begun working on set in London. Since winning the lead role of Maria Von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical in 2006, Fisher has enjoyed success as a West End theatre star and has released three albums. In one, The Sound Of Music – London Palladium Cast Album, Fisher sings alongside opera star Lesley Garrett.

She also performed alongside artists such as best-selling soprano Sarah Brightman and US entertainer Donny Osmond at the Diana memorial concert in 2007. The day-long spectacular at London’s Wembley Stadium was watched by a crowd of 63,000. (News, Source: Wales Online UK)

Return to Tupelo DVD: A new documentary, Elvis: Return to Tupelo, produced by Michael Rose and narrated by Kris Kristofferson, traces the Elvis saga from his birth during the depths of the Depression, to his move to Memphis, to his formative high school years, through his early struggles to launch a music career and wraps up with his triumphant homecoming concert in 1956, on the same stage where he'd lost a talent contest eleven years earlier.

This 90-minute special will premiere on the bio Channel (A&E's spinoff of its long running Biography series) Thursday, September 11 at 9 PM EST and repeat again at 1 AM EST. The show will air again Sunday, September 21 at 1 PM EST. Rose discovered this story while shooting a travel program on the Natchez Trace that took his crew through Tupelo. "While there we met local historian Roy Turner who introduced us to the fascinating and little known details of Presley's early years. Turner opened up a world that we didn't know existed," Rose said. According to Rose, this documentary reveals the cultural impact that Elvis Presley's rocket rise to fame had on America.

"He was a white man singing like a Black man at a time when the Civil Rights Movement was beginning to intensify. His raw sexuality and appeal to mixed race audiences, including lots of squealing young white girls, created a panic among parents, politicians, preachers and the press," Rose continued. "He was a force for change that threatened and eventually helped to reshape the American cultural landscape."

We discovered the importance of the various musical influences, both sacred and profane, that shaped his life and his sound. Tupelo was at the base of Appalachia and within listening range of the Grand Ole Opry that filled the air with country music. The town was just north of the Mississippi Delta that introduced Elvis to the blues. And the churches, both African American and white, gave Elvis a rich grounding in gospel music that continued to nourish his spirit. The documentary includes authentic recordings of American roots music from the Library of Congress as well as interviews with old friends, family members, co-workers and other eyewitnesses who provide personal, previously unknown insights into a story that many believe they already know. Schoolmates describe how shy he was and how hard it was to convince him to perform. Others talk about how poor he was and how kids taunted and picked on him because he was different.

The documentary follows his father's incarceration in the infamous Parchman Farm prison and his mother's relentless campaign to get him paroled. His family never gained their footing and lost their house. They slinked out of town in the middle of the night - heading for Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis' star would eventually shine. His talent, determination and charisma would conquer all adversity and create a loyal following around the world. The program ends on a note of triumph - the return of Elvis to Tupelo for a benefit Homecoming concert where he received the Key to the City and the screaming adulation of his fans. He'd come full circle and finally conquered the fears and doubts and opinions that had plagued him from birth. "Elvis: Return to Tupelo" is a timeless story about an American icon who not only changed the music world but whose shaking and singing paved the way for a more tolerant America.

Actress recalls on-secreen kiss with Elvis: Elvis Week is well underway and the King's fans packed into the Cook Convention Center in Downtown Memphis, Wednesday, August 13, 2008, for the "Elvis Expo". People had the chance to browse through 35,000 square feet of Elvis memorabilia, while Eyewitness News Everywhere found one of Elvis' movie co-stars.

Celeste Yarnall shared with us what it was like working with Elvis in 1968 on the set of the movie "Live a Little, Love a Little".

Before Yarnall had ever met Elvis, a producer on the set told her that Elvis was dying to meet her. Remembering that experience she told us, “I turned around and there was Elvis. I thought I was going to have a heart attack."

She told us she’ll never forget his sapphire blue eyes and how nice he treated her and others. Yarnall has many pictures of Elvis and her together. She says the connection they had was something special.

“The chemistry between us was…if we both hadn't of been married, I tell you the chemistry was unbelievable,” said Yarnall.

Not only did Yarnall say there was chemistry between the two of them, but she also told us about some romantic movie scenes. She says they kissed many times for the movie. She says those kisses were the best she’s ever received. Yarnall also says face to face was the best way to take in the beauty of Elvis Presley.

“You had to see this man in person. The skin, the nose, the profile, the eyes, he was just beautiful,” said Yarnall. She says Elvis' good looks and charm weren't the only qualities he had.

“He was very down to earth. The fabulous thing about Elvis was that he was more interested in you than trying to be interesting himself,” said Yarnall.

The Elvis Expo also showed off Elvis Presley's 1969 Mercedes Benz limousine. It is loaded with all kinds of extra amenities like a sunroof, telephone and television. In remembrance of Elvis, the usual candlelight vigil will be held Friday, August 15, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. This is where fans can walk up his driveway at Graceland to Elvis’ gravesite with a candle in remembrance of him. (News, Source: My Eyewitness News/Charmaine Voisine)

Elvis song catalog for sale: Elvis Presley, Quincy Jones and the Black Eyed Peas' song catalogues will reportedly be part of a multi-million dollar sale of a New York-based music company. Bosses at Cherry Lane Music Publishing are reportedly seeking a buyer for their entire catalogue of songs, after executives at Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony expressed interest in the sale.

According to the New York Post, the company is estimated to take between $100 million (GBP50 million) and $150 million (GBP75 million) for the turn of acquisitions. Cherry Lane - founded in 1960 by music producer/arranger Milt Okun - also boasts joint venture deals with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am and hip-hop entrepreneur Damon Dash.(News, Source: Contact Music)

ETA's score big in Memphis: Twenty-two Elvis tribute artists from around the world competed on-stage in Memphis tonight for their chance to proceed to the finals round on Thursday, August 14.

The top 10 finalists were announced just a short time ago. Congratulations to the following Elvis tribute artists who will be advancing to the finals and competing tomorrow night (names below in no particular order):

Last interview by Sam Phillips?: Primo, a Flemish TV-guide, publishes an Elvis special in this week’s issue. Reporter Vic Dennis was able to interview Sam Phillips in his home in Memphis, not long before he passed away. This could possibly be the last interview that Sam Phillips gave. Some quotes about Elvis’ life and career are confirmed or denied with the help of Sam Phillips answers. As an extra – and very unique – the complete tape with the interview can be heard on the TV-guides site. Click on the link to hear the interview(News, Source: Elvis Matters)

Elvis tributes and hope for cooks: AUG. 16 -- You can enjoy eats off the menu at Jonathan's of Matthews, but the real entertainment comes from "A Tribute to the King," a benefit show to honor the king of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley, on the day he died (31 years ago). The tribute artists include Chuck Ayers, Wayne Euliss, Joe Clough and Jeff Collins. Proceeds of the event will go to Presbyterian Hemby Children's Hospital. $12, for the show only. 6 p.m. Jonathan's of Matthews, 10630 Independence Pointe Parkway, Matthews, NC. (Matthews) For reservations call 704-847-8911. (News, Source: Charmaine Voisine)

Are You Hungry Tonight?......Elvis style: Rock n' roll superstar Elvis Presley may be known for the body of work he contributed to the music and film world, but he also is remembered for his love of food - especially fried dishes he helped make famous.

Presley died 31 years ago on Saturday. Fans in West Tennessee and around the world will commemorate his death in many ways this week, including preparing and serving the foods he reportedly ate often - thank you very much - or that honor his memory.

Traditional cake:Three readers submitted a recipe for Elvis Presley cake. Though there are slight variations in the ingredient lists, all three versions call for punching holes into the top of a simple yellow or white cake, then pouring in a boiled mixture of pineapple and sugar.

After the cake cools, a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar and nuts is spread on.

Christie Bradshaw of Brownsville describes her recipe for Elvis Presley cake as "really rich, but really good." She thinks Elvis would have liked it because it is so sweet and said, "You for sure need a sweet tooth to eat (it)!"

With the pineapple component, she said it makes a good summertime recipe, but she also is considering baking it at Christmastime this year.

Others who submitted cake recipes are Pat Cunningham of Camden and Dawn Sisco of Jackson.

Sisco said the cake, which she called "rich and moist," was one of Elvis' favorites. She has made it numerous times and said it is a good choice for family reunions and church functions, noting it will keep several days in the refrigerator.

"(The cake) is sure to get you lots of compliments," Sisco said.

Sweet sandwich: Barbara Cleek of Humboldt, who describes herself as "a true Elvis Presley fan," shared a recipe for a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich that she said was one of the Elvis' favorites.

Simple to make, it calls for preparing the sandwich with white bread and then frying it.

Cleek, who grew up "in the country" in Obion County, said she never saw Elvis perform live, but she has been a fan since she was a teenager.

She describes him as "a country boy like the rest of us (who) liked country food."

"I loved his music," said Cleek. "I just thought he was a wonderful person in that he contributed to a lot of good causes. He shared (with others)."

Cleek also submitted recipes for basic fried chicken and chicken gravy. All three of her recipes, she said, are from the book, "Are You Hungry Tonight?: Elvis' Favorite Recipes," by Brenda Butler.

Biscuits and dip: Darlene Figard of McKenzie has not made the recipes she submitted but is confident they are good because she got them from a book she bought at Elvis Presley's home in Memphis, Graceland - Dean Clark's "Elvis' Greatest Hits: Recipes & More From Graceland."

Figard said the Tennessee angel biscuits recipe was a favorite and that the cheese crab dip was served as an appetizer at his wedding to Priscilla in 1967.

When it comes to Elvis and food, Figard said she thinks of him "sitting in his dining room (at Graceland) munching down on cheeseburgers."

A serious Elvis fan, Figard said she loved the way he sang and moved. Figard says Elvis kissed her at a concert in Memphis in 1973. He noticed her, she said, because she was sitting close to the stage on the back of her chair - to see over a lady in front who would not remove her hat. Figard recalls what she was doing the day Elvis died in 1977.

"I was delivering Jackson Sun newspapers in Camden," she said. "When (the news) came over the radio, I stopped the car and cried." (News, Source: Charmaine Voisine)

Collecting King Elvis: Is Elvis still alive? Enough people think that they have sighted Elvis to make others stop to think that The King really still might be alive. After all, Jerry Glanville, the former National Football League head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and the Houston Oilers, leaves tickets for Elvis to games he coaches. In addition, couples will trek to Las Vegas' The Elvis Wedding Chapel, among others, to get married by none other than – Elvis himself!

Whether you believe that Elvis is still among the living – or died that fateful day of August 16, 1977 – is a personal decision. However, the undeniable fact remains that Elvis' memories are very much alive among billions of people across the world, and very definitely alive among collectors of Elvis memorabilia. You don't need to have gone to an Elvis concert, or even have been alive for that matter when he was a performer, to realize the impact of his music. There is a reason why Elvis was selected by the Atlantic Magazine as one of the top hundred most influential Americans of the 20th century. As we know, Elvis was instrumental in bridging the generation gap, although that was not the feeling in the beginning. The "Elvis the Pelvis" nickname, usually used derogatorily, and the banning of his appearing on the small screen from the waist down, did eventually give way to the general acceptance of Elvis as a musical innovator, a respected movie actor, and a very generous and giving person.

As an example of Elvis' generosity, in 1961 he gave a benefit concert in Hawaii that raised $65,000 toward the building of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Adjusted for inflation, in today's dollars the figure is about $4 million. With his help, the memorial opened a year later. In 1970, the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, named him as one of the ten outstanding young men in the United States.

Elvis Presley's popularity has been evident to the United States government as well. Besides Elvis' well-documented meeting with President Nixon on December 21, 1970, the U.S. Postal Service announced in 1992 that Elvis' image would be used for a commemorative postage stamp. In an unprecedented move, the Postal Service let the American public decide whether to use the image of Elvis as a young rocker or one of him starring in a special Hawaiian performance. The image of the young rocker won out, and the Elvis stamp is the most widely publicized stamp issue in history, and the top selling commemorative postage of all time. More than 500 million Elvis stamps have been printed, more than three times the print run for any other commemorative stamp.

Collectors are often quick to point out that because such a huge number of Elvis stamps that were issued, that the value of an individual stamp is minimal. However, the stamp issued in 1993 does serve as a good memory of Elvis.

Some Elvis collectibles are extremely valuable, and are in demand by collectors. In fact, any Elvis collectible would be a treasure in any pop culture collection. The most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia, Elvis' peacock jumpsuit performance costume, recently sold for $300,000. Previous to the selling of this jumpsuit, the record for an Elvis collectible was $295,000 for one of his classic cars. An Elvis jeweled cape was auctioned for $105,250 a few years ago. One of his leather jackets went for $37,000, and his personal script for the film "Love Me Tender" sold for $5,400.

The value of his items keeps on increasing. Elvis' memorabilia, if you can even find them, trade for record prices. Keep in mind that you don't have to go for the most expensive pieces. Collectors should stay within their financial limits. Yes, it is nice to own an Elvis cape, or his personal movie script, but even owning a movie poster or record album of the King is a collectible that the average collector can afford, and be very comfortable with. Of course, if the movie poster or album is signed, its value is increased.(News, Source: Jeff Figle, hofmag.com)

The King in Canada - Presleymania erupts: Night had settled over Empire Stadium on August 31, 1957. It was 9:45 on a clear, warm, late-summer night in Vancouver, British Columbia. Elvis Presley had just finished his opening number, "Heartbreak Hotel", and was half-way through his second song when, looking out from the stage, he saw the far end of of the stadium erupt. From where he stood on the platform a hundred yards away, it looked like excited insects spilling off an anthill as people crawled out of the stands and spread onto the grass. It grew like a wave as, from each adjoining section on both sides of the stadium, others poured onto the field to join the mass, now moving quickly toward the stage where Elvis continued his performance. "We'll never stop them now!" yelled a policeman, as he and his cohorts locked arms in a valiant effort to stem the flow.

On stage, Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires watched the crowd collide with the cordon of cops, and fear began to take hold of him. He glanced up at Elvis and saw the fear mirrored back at him................

The above is an excerpt from the absorbing book, Elvis '57 The Fifties Tours by Alan Hanson, iUniverse, 2007, ISBN: 978-0595431229.

America's Dream Captured in Voice and Song: Elvis, Orson, Bob and Rosa feature in Top 50. This is a Top 50 with a difference. While veterans of countless hit parades such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra feature prominently, so do Franklin D Roosevelt, Orson Welles and Martin Luther King; and the organization behind the list is not a music magazine or a television show, but the Library of Congress.

This week, officials from the library announced their first National Recording Registry collection: 50 recordings of moments of cultural, historical or aesthetic significance in the history of the United States.

Like all good lists, the choices are certain to stimulate debates over the breakfast tables of the nation.

Some of the recordings choose themselves. Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream speech, made in 1963, has long been part of the national psyche. So too, for an older generation, are the "fireside chats", reassuringly delivered to the nation by Franklin D Roosevelt in the 30s and 40s; and General Dwight D Eisenhower's 1944 D-Day address to the allied nations.

Historic moments from the struggle for racial equality are included in the list. A recreation of the former slave Booker T Washington's 1895 Atlanta Exposition Speech, in which he controversially sought compromise from African Americans, calling on them to accept a temporary lower social status, is there, alongside the Highlander Center Field Recording Collection from the 30s to the 80s. This features such activists as Rosa Parks, who triggered a momentous series of events by refusing to leave the white section of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.

The pioneering set of Edison exhibition recordings from 1888 is the oldest part of the collection, closely followed by 1890 recordings of the Passamaquoddy Indians. Orson Welles' 1938 recording of HG Wells' War of the Worlds, which so realistically evoked a Martian invasion that it sent thousands of Americans running for cover, is also listed, as is the 1937 description of the crash of the airship Hindenburg - an emotional live report by Herbert Morrison in New Jersey. "It's a fire and it's crashing!" said Morrison, his voice cracking as 36 passengers died. "Oh, the humanity!"

There is also a nod to the lighter side of life, with Abbott and Costello's first broadcast from 1938, entitled Who's on First. TS Eliot, WH Auden and others who took part in the Harvard Vocarium recording sessions are at number 17 in the list, which is tactfully based on chronology rather than perceived importance. The last entry is from 1982, a record which started to bring hip-hop music into the mainstream: The Message, by Grandmaster Flash. Recordings had to be more than 10 years old to qualify, so today's big noises - be they Eminem, Britney Spears, or George Bush's post-September 11 speech - will have to wait to see if they past the test of time.

It is the music featured which is likely to spark the fiercest debate.

Many iconic US musicians are included: Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley, George Gershwin and Bob Dylan, Ray Charles and Woody Guthrie.

But when it comes down to the recordings which have been nominated, was Sinatra's Songs for Young Lovers his best? Is Les Paul and Mary Ford's 1951 How High the Moon really up there with Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit? Should it be Dylan's Freewheelin' album, or blond on blond?

As the names were announced, the librarian of Congress James Billington said: "The registry was not intended by Congress to be another 'best of' list." Those chosen had to pass the test of being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".

A group of 20 experts, including archivists, musicologists, recording specialists, composers and librarians who make up the National Preservation Board made the final choices. The registry was set up in 2000 by the National Recording Preservation Act. The first radio and stereo recordings are included, as are other recording breakthroughs. Mr Billington said that the public had been canvassed for their views, but the response had been disappointing. Comments and suggestions are being invited on the library's website. New names will be added annually.

The list may stimulate an interest in long-forgotten music. Lovey's Trinidad String Band Recordings from 1912 and fiddler Eck Robertson's 1922 recording of Arkansas Traveler have drifted out of the national consciousness, and could well benefit from being noted alongside Miles Davis, Bing Crosby, Scott Joplin, Aretha Franklin's 1967 Respect and Woody Guthrie's 1944 This Land is Your Land.

Library of Congress choices:

1888-89 Thomas Edison's exhibition recordings

1890 Field recordings of the Passamaquoddy Indians 1897 First recording of Stars and Stripes Forever

The etched image on the other side of the limited-edition, ready-to-be-strummed pick celebrates the 40th anniversary of Presley’s televised ’68 comeback special.

Suggested retail is $19.99, which includes the pick, an interchangeable necklace or key chain pick holder, and a certificate of authenticity. The product debuts in Memphis as part of Elvis Week celebrations that draw thousands of fans to the singer’s former hometown.

Once word gets out about the Presley estate’s endorsement, “we’re confident the rest of the celebrity music world will want to join the bandwagon,” Mackey said. “Elvis has already paid off by helping us secure new deals with Conway Twitty’s estate, Carl Perkins’ estate and Sun Records, Elvis’ first Memphis recording label.”(News, Source: Elvis Matters)

Sunday 10 August 2008...............Day 2 of Elvis Week 2008 is now in full swing!! Visit EPE

Christmas at Graceland: Thomas Kinkade, one of America’s most popular painters, has just finished his “study scetch” of his newly commissioned canvas painting “Christmas at Graceland”. The Thomas Kinkade Memphis Gallery has already begun taking orders. Last year’s Graceland-painting sold out very quickly. This time, he’ll produce 3 different sizes, with prices varying from 750 to 1680 $US. Click this link for more details. (News, Source: Elvis Matters)

Billboard demotes Elvis on historic charts!: Random sightings of the king of rock 'n' roll have tapered off in recent years, and now he has mysteriously disappeared from the upper echelons of a new list that ranks the artists with the most number one hits on the US pop singles chart.

Until April, Elvis Presley and Mariah Carey tied at number two on Billboard's list of the top acts of the rock era with 17 number one tunes each - behind the Beatles with 20.

But then Carey took sole possession of the silver medal when her single, Touch My Body, hit the top spot.

That should still make Presley number three, but not according to Billboard.

Presley has been demoted to number 14 with seven number one hits - a ranking he now shares with Phil Collins.

Billboard is rolling out a series of charts to mark the 50th anniversary of its Hot 100 singles chart.

The problem for Presley fans is that 10 of his chart-toppers predated August 4, 1958 - the birth of the Hot 100.

From November 12, 1955, it was known as the Top 100 - the first all-encompassing chart determined by radio play, retail sales and jukebox usage.

In those 141 weeks before Billboard debuted the Hot 100 name to differentiate it from copycats, Presley ruled the chart for 57 weeks.

He never regained his commercial or creative momentum after he was inducted into the US Army in March, 1958, according to some fans.

Billboard's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, says the chart is still relevant, despite the fact it ignores the heyday of the first real rock 'n' roll star.

"We are not pretending that the observation of the chart's 50th anniversary is anything more than a look at those 50 specific years," he said.

"We take great care to couch comparisons of younger artists' Hot 100 feats to those of Elvis, by informing readers that his chart feats predated the Hot 100's launch."

Upcoming specialty Billboard rankings will include the biggest one-hit wonders ever and the number one songs of every year since 1958.

The series culminates on September 10 with what it bills as the first ranking of the Hot 100 songs of all time. Just don't expect to see Heartbreak Hotel or Hound Dog on the list.

(News, Source: Reuters/Sanja Vojkovic)

"Elvis The Music" wesbsite revamped: The "Elvis The Music" website from SONY / BMG has been revamped.

Not all links are working yet, but the links give some idea of the additional features of the website like official news, biography, podcasts, fun, forums, and multi media audio and video features. (News, Source: Elvis News)

New Elvis ringtone: PlayPhone, a leading global media company present in over 20 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, is partnering with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and Wal-Mart to provide cutting entertainment content to mobile consumers in the form of ringtones and wallpaper to celebrate the launch of Elvis: Viva Las Vegas.

This new digital product allows you to download ringtones like “Thank You Very Much,” from Elvis, directly to your cell phone. (News, Source: EPE)

New Elvis promo CDs from Sony BMG: Available on eBay are three promotional CDs for "The Complete 68 Comeback Special" four CD set which was released earlier this month. (News, Source: Elvis News)

Induction of Original Guitar Hero: The Original Guitar Hero, James Burton will be inducted into the Fender Hall Of Fame today. James will be accompanied by The Beach Boys and Bill Carson. James and his entire family will be in attendance for this event. (News, Source: Elvis Unlimited)

Elvis and my Mom: In the very early 1960s, my mother was a sheltered teen whose parents sent her far from their California home to attend college in TN, where she would be safe from hippies, drugs and fun of any kind. One weekend, my mother and a friend decided to make a road trip to Memphis to visit Graceland.

The two 18-year-olds parked far away and walked up to the large metal gated entrance. They peeked inside and looked for any sign of the famous musician beyond the gates. Suddenly, a car on the road behind them stopped and the window was rolled down.

The girls peeked inside, expecting someone to ask them a question. Elvis looked out the car window and asked, "Can I help you with something?" The girls screamed as they ran away as quickly as their legs would take them. (Source: Cathy McCaughan, TheCelebrityCafe.com)

Chaffee Crossing Museum District Elvis opening: The new Chaffee Crossing museum district, consisting of three places of exhibitions, will open at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 15 in Fort Smith. The morning ceremony will take place at Building 803, the locale where Pvt. Elvis Presley got his first military haircut.

Located on the former Ft. Chaffee Army base property, the Fort Chaffee Barbershop Museum contains a replica barbershop restored with items authentic to the period, from bathroom fixtures to the barber pole. The barbershop takes up the front portion of the building and includes a life-size cutout of Presley in his uniform in the barber chair. The back portion of the building contains some Elvis memorabilia, such as the script from the “King Creole” movie he finished filming the day before he was inducted, and original photos.

“This will not be an Elvis museum like you see at Graceland,” explained Ivy Owen, executive director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority. The museum will also reflect the history of Ft. Chaffee through exhibits from the ‘40s and ‘50s, as well as items specific to the time Presley was there. For more information, phone 479-769-0402.

The museum district will be open on Mondays and Fridays and by appointment. The two other museums opening in the district are the Vietnam Veterans Museum and the Enchanted Doll Museum.

The Vietnam Veterans Museum contains Vietnam War memorabilia such as helmets, uniforms, guns, documents, love letters and other Vietnam-related items collected over many years. It is also home to the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 467. For more information on this museum, phone 479-478-0110. The Vietnam traveling exhibit “The Wall that Heals” will be at Chaffee Crossing on Oct. 17-19, Owen added. It is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

A 1,500-square-foot museum of about 5,000 dolls, the Enchanted Doll Museum contains a life-size Ken and Barbie as well as antique dolls, including Madam Alexander, Effanbee, Kewpie, Betsy Wetsy, Cabbage Patch Kids, Annie and Gerber brands.

“Gone With the Wind and Shirley Temple are my favorites,” said Owner Mary Merechka of Van Buren. “I have doll furniture. I have everything. I would rather share it with everyone.” In fact, Merechka has too much to fit in the museum all at once, so she will rotate the dolls on exhibit throughout the year. “I guess I’m a kid at heart,” she added. “Everything reminds me of something or a happy time in my life.”

“I’ve already had calls for [group] tours,” Merechka said. For more information on this museum, phone 479-478-0225 or visit www.theenchantedweddingchapel.com Adjacent to the doll museum, Merechka also owns The Enchanted Wedding Chapel. She plans to open a bridal studio/lounge soon. Also at Chaffee Crossing, she has as the Enchanted Park for outdoor weddings and the Fantasies at the Fort Reception Hall. Celebrations of Fort Smith is a party rental and sales venue.

The museum district is located at Chaffee Crossing, a 7,000-acre resource being created as a recreational, residential, commercial and industrial development in Fort Smith and Barling, AR. Owen said he sees the planned development as similar to The Woodlands in Houston.

“It’s a community to work, live and play in,” said Owen. “It will be its own community, but it will be part of Fort Smith.” Under construction are 286 homes. “We also have two new churches that are locating out here.” Groundbreakings have also taken place for PRADCO, which makes fishing lures, and Umarex, which manufactures high-end air rifles. “It’s just the place to be,” Owen said.

Chaffee Crossing currently contains recreational opportunities such as the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, which sits on 170 acres overlooking Wells Lake. The area is accessible for fishing, hiking and other outdoor recreation. There are miles of biking and jogging trails and the nine-hole Deer Trails Fort Chaffee Golf Course. Several natural and historical sites provide prime locations for family activities such as picnics and get-togethers.

“Who would have thought that people would come to Ft. Chaffee as a tourist?” Owen asked.

Elvis Insiders to get sneak listen to upcoming Elvis Christmas Duets album: Attendees to the Insiders Conference during Elvis Week will get a first listen at some sample tracks from the new Elvis Presley Christmas Duets CD release. The release, due to hit stores October 14, is the first Elvis duet recordings album and the first Christmas compilation of its kind ever produced. It will feature many of today’s biggest country artists, including Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Gretchen Wilson, Sarah Evans and LeAnn Rimes singing classic Elvis holiday songs with Elvis. (News, Source: EPE)

Chart Update: On this week's ARIA Music DVD Chart in Australia, Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii drops 6 places to #25 while Elvis The King of Rock 'n' Roll drops 8 places to #26. (News, Source: ARIA)

R.I.P., Elvis, but, man, you made some lousy movies: I was a kid when Elvis Presley tumped over — as they like to say in Jackson County — and died in his bathroom 31 years ago this week. My barber in Marianna broke the news to me on that hot August day as I sat in his shop's chair for a trim. He seemed pretty upset and distracted as he cut my hair with a shaky hand. I walked out of the shop holding Elvis personally responsible for my splotchy new 'do. In 1977, why did anyone still care about a bloated rock star who bellowed "The Impossible Dream" in a Las Vegas casino while dressed like Liberace on laundry day?

As the rapper Chuck D. summed it up: "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant (bleep) to me."

Several years after my bad haircut, my anti-Elvis attitude changed completely when I discovered the incredible music that he recorded at Sun Records in the mid-'50s. It's still powerful stuff. I suddenly understood what all the fuss was about. Then I got caught up in the bizarre, kitschy Elvis Death Cult that came along in the '80s.

It's no wonder I ended up in the mob at the gates of Graceland on the 10th anniversary of Presley's passing. And the 20th. And last summer for the 30th.

Because this year is an odd-number anniversary — and a gallon of gas costs more than a necklace made of unicorn horns — I'm not driving to Memphis this week to stand around in the August heat with my fellow weirdos. Instead, I rented a stack of Elvis movies last weekend and paid tribute to the King with a full day of electrifying Elvis cinema.

Was I insane? No one dared me to do it. I was not tied to a chair. Do not, I repeat, do not try this at home.

I started with "Kissin' Cousins," a sunny 1964 incest musical featuring Elvis testing his very limited acting chops by playing a dual role. The dark-haired Elvis stars as an Air Force officer named Josh who's ordered to smooth talk his opossum-eating Tennessee cousins out of their property because the military wants to use it as a base for nuclear missiles. Elvis also plays Josh's mountain-dwelling cousin, Jodie, a blond-haired lug with a waxy complexion who may be a hillbilly golem. When Josh and Jodie tussle (every Elvis movie has to have at least one fight scene with Big El' stompin' some butt), a stand-in is obviously tangling with the Elvis. Let's just say it's not as convincing as Jeremy Irons playing identical twins in "Dead Ringers."

I was expecting another case of the duplicated Elvis with "Double Trouble," a downright strange little musical-adventure made the same year the Beatles were recording "Sgt. Pepper's." Elvis stars as a saloon singer in England who is stalked by a 17-year-old school girl. She follows the lounge lizard to Belgium where they run afoul of bungling diamond smugglers and hired killers. It makes perfect sense for Elvis to interrupt this tale of international intrigue to sing about the joys of killing animals and eating meat in a rockin' version of "Old MacDonald's Farm." He croons the carnivorous ode to his underage crush.

Ewwww. And double Ewwww.

Instead of switching to a watchable Elvis movie such as "King Creole," "Jailhouse Rock" or the overlooked "Live a Little, Love a Little," I decided to dig deeper into the Hollywood pit in which poor Elvis was cast by his miscreant manager Col. Tom Parker.

Did Col. Parker even bother to read the script for "Clambake," the 1967 dung grenade in which Elvis must sing over and over: "Mama's little baby loves clambake, clambake"? Why didn't Elvis storm off the set in '65 when he was forced to sing "Do The Clam" in "Girl Happy"? What was up with all the damn clams in the '60s?

It was only a mere eight minutes into "Tickle Me" (1965) when a bar brawl broke out and Elvis, who's playing a "sagebrush Lothario," started pummeling some patron into submission. That has to be some sort of land-speed record in Elvis world. According to studio records, the horrendous "Harum Scarum" (1965) was shot in 18 days. I say it took it much less time. The poxy plot features Elvis as a pop star who is kidnapped while touring the Middle East and dragged into a plan to assassinate an Arab king. Osama Bin Laden probably uses this film to lure new recruits.

Ah, but my faith was restored in All Things Elvis when I got to his final feature film, "A Change of Habit" (1969). Supposedly, Col. Parker made him turn down the Jon Voight role in "Midnight Cowboy" to star in this sappy, socially conscious drama. Elvis plays a doctor who works with poor kids at a free clinic in the inner city. An undercover nun played by Mary Tyler Moore falls in love with Elvis, who doesn't know she's married to an even bigger star.

During the finale, Moore runs to a church where she has to choose between Elvis — who's singing a gospel song — or Jesus. She looks at Elvis. Then she looks up at the image of Jesus. Then back at Elvis. Then Jesus again. Guess which one she chooses. (Celluloid Comment, Source: Mark Hinson, Tallahassee.com)

Elvis is jumpsuit King: Elvis Presley's favorite performance costume, the peacock jumpsuit, sold for $300,000 Thursday, making it the most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia sold at auction.

The online sale by auctioneer Gotta Have It! ended at 3 a.m. The pre-sale estimate was $275,000 to $325,000.

The white outfit with a plunging V-neck and high collar features a blue-and-gold peacock design hand-embroidered on the front and back and along the pant legs.

It is cinched at the waist by a wide belt decorated in gold medallions in a design resembling the eye of a peacock feather.

The auctioneer described the seller as "a big Elvis collector" and declined to say who bought it.

Presley paid $10,000 to have the outfit made by Los Angeles designer Bill Belew, who created all of The King's stage wardrobe between 1968-1977. It captured the rock 'n' roll legend's fascination with peacocks as a good luck symbol and the auction house said it was among his favorite Belew designs.

Elvis first wore the costume at the Forum in Los Angeles on May 11, 1974, and later for the cover of his album "Promised Land."

The previous record for an Elvis collectible is $295,000 for his 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II.

The most ever paid previously for one of his stage costumes, the so-called aloha cape, which was worn during one of his last television shows, was $105,250. Both were sold at a 1999 auction at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., run by Guernsey's. (News, Source: AP)

Elvis still the King of Stamps in the USA (despite Mickey & friends challenge): Although Elvis remains king as the single most popular stamp subject of all time with an estimated 124.1 million collected, Mickey Mouse and his friends rule as the most popular stamp series with 211.5 million collected.

Originally scheduled to be introduced as three sets during a three-year period, the fifth and final debut for the Art of Disney series takes place Aug. 7, at 10 a.m. PDT in front of the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland when the Postal Service dedicates the Art of Disney: Imagination stamps. The 42-cent first-class commemorative stamps go on sale nationwide that day.

"The Art of Disney stamps have connected many Americans with friendship, celebration, romance, magic and now imagination through the mail," said U.S. Postal Service Chief of Staff Mike Spates, who will join Mickey and his friends in dedicating the stamps. "It's easy to add an imaginative touch to cards and letters with these beautiful stamps. We want to thank the many Disney characters for helping the Postal Service commemorate Walt Disney throughout the years."

Joining Spates in dedicating the stamps will be Executive Vice President and Imagineering Ambassador, Walt Disney Imagineering, Marty Sklar.

"I know that Walt would be proud to see Mickey and the other Disney characters appear on U.S. Postage Stamps honoring imagination," said Sklar. "Imagination was always at the heart of his work, in movies, television and here at Disneyland. He lived, breathed and dreamed it his whole life."

Spates said 125 million Art of Disney: Imagination stamps were printed and are available in sheets of 20 and include four stamp designs:

-- Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie. Walt Disney once said that Mickey was "created for the purposes of laughter." From the moment Walt Disney first imagined him, Mickey has been a happy reminder that a little laughter goes a long way; it's hard to imagine the world without his familiar smile.

-- Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and her helpers Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather from Sleeping Beauty. Everyone dreams of living "happily ever after," but not everyone has such enchanting helpers as Princess Aurora's tiny guardians, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Despite their delightfully dithery ways, the good fairies protect the princess and help her find the true love she has always imagined.

-- Pongo and one of his pups from 101 Dalmatians. Imagining a dog's emotional life requires a brilliant creative leap, but 101 Dalmatians gives us a unique dog's eye view of the world. In the loving bonds between Pongo and his pups, we see our own human ties brought to life -- spot on.

-- Mowgli and Baloo from The Jungle Book. Who could imagine a jungle as jazzy as in The Jungle Book -- or a more free-wheeling, upbeat buddy than Baloo? His lighthearted relationship with Mowgli reminds us that friendship and laughter really are among the "bare necessities of life."

Spates added the series has proven to be popular with both stamp collectors and Disney enthusiasts.

"After the success of the first two Art of Disney sets with 47.7 million Friendship stamps collected in 2004 and 52.8 million Celebration stamps in 2005, we sat down with the Disney team to explore the possibility of extending the series. We feel the Art of Disney: Imagination stamps will finish the series as a cherished collectible."

The Postal Service randomly surveys approximately 10,000 customers four times annually to gauge the number of stamps collected. Spates said 57.2 million Romance stamps were collected in 2006 and 53.8 million Magic stamps in 2007. (News, Source: Wall Street Journal Online)

Country Music Television to honor Elvis all week: Country Music Television is preparing for a week of hound dogs and heartbreak hotels. Starting August 11, CMT is honoring the King with week-long programming featuring specials on CMT Insider and CMT Top 20 Countdown.

The six-day event kicks off with Elvis: Las Vegas, a concert special that features rare footage of the rock-and-roll legend, and interviews with those who were close to him. The special also will showcase performances of Elvis classics, including Toby Keith and Joe Perry performing "Mystery Train," Faith Hill performing the gospel classic "Peace in the Valley," and Three 6 Mafia performing "In the Ghetto." Elvis: Las Vegas airs Monday, Aug. 11 at 8:00 p.m.

Other programming for Elvis Week includes footage of the Elvis Week 2008 events held in Memphis, Tenn., with a launch party for the Elvis: Las Vegas special. On Saturday, Aug. 16, the channel will air Jailhouse Rock at 3:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST/CST. (News, Source: Country Hound)

Barbara Leigh's memoir now available in audio CD format: Thanks to Sid Shaw from Elvisly Yours for the following info on the audio CD edition of Barbara Leigh's fascinating memoir.

If you have not ordered Barbara Leigh's superb audio book do so TODAY. It is fascinating to listen to Barbara tell her intimate story, well supported by actor friends playing roles of Elvis, McQueen and Aubrey. It is a unique collectable that gives another insight into the very personal side of Elvis. The audio book is reasonably priced at $25.00 for 3 CDs with a signed photo. Mailing $5.00 US, $10.00 overseas. Everyone who has heard Barbara's audio book has loved it. It is a unique dramatization of a unique period in her life as if Barbara is personally telling the story just to you and you are listening in on her conversations with Elvis, McQueen, Aubrey and others. BUY IT TODAY!!!

HOW TO ORDER: You can order this audio book of Barbara Leigh from eBay and Amazon.com or why not directly from Barbara with perhaps some additional signed photographs.

Lisa Marie shows off her "baby bump": LISA-MARIE PRESLEY has followed CHRISTINA AGUILERA and DEMI MOORE by showing off her pregnant belly in a series of stunning photographs. The expectant mum has posed for celebrity photographer Davis Factor in a new spread, which focuses on her beautiful baby bump. The photos feature black and white shots of the rocker in bed, posing in her lingerie. One stunning desert snap also shows the 40-year-old semi-naked in an unbuttoned leopard-skin print coat. The pictures were unveiled on U.S. news show Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday (06Aug08). Presley and her husband Michael Lockwood are expecting twins this autumn. (Lisa Marie Presley's World, Source: Contact Music)

New FTDs problem:EP Gold reports that there has been an initial distribution problem with the latest three FTD releases. A number of outlets have only received one third of their order. For those outlets affected, outstanding orders will be received by next Wednesday.

Elvis In Concert on TV Land: Today , Friday, TV Land at 7 pm will be showing Elvis In Concert CBS Special from 1977 then they will be playing This Is Elvis. (News, Source: EP Gold)

Elvis Insiders guest update: Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond his control, Steve Binder will not be able to attend the Elvis Insiders Conference during Elvis Week.

A new Elvis Insiders conference guest is Richard Sterban, making his first conference appearance. Richard Sterban will be there to share his memories of touring and performing with Elvis. Richard sang bass for JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, and toured with Elvis in the early 70s. In 1972, Richard joined the Oak Ridge Boys. Richard also appeared in Elvis: The 30th Anniversary Concert at the FedEx Forum. (News, Source: EPE)

Sony BMG Australia has advised EIN that it is currently proposed the Australian version of the album will comprise the tracks on the US release PLUS extra tracks from the artists mentioned in the flyer below. (News, Source: Sony BMG Australia/ FECC)

Elvis Artprint for sale in EC: The Dutch/Belgian retail chain 'Kruidvat' has an offer we can't refuse.

Elvis has landed is coming to Cocoa Beach, Florida: Alexis Galarza from Best Western tells us:

We are so excited to be a part of this wonderful event. We welcome all Elvis fans to come and enjoy our beautiful beach and properties while enjoying the sweet sounds of Elvis rocking the night away!

It is my pleasure to introduce the Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel and Suites and the Days Inn located on beautiful CocoaBeach. We are delighted to provide you with information on our great properties.

Nestled on over 7 tropical acres the Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites offers room options to suit everyone's needs. Choose from tropical courtyard rooms, two-room suites, or one of our ocean view rooms overlooking the warm turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A variety of recreational activities, that include two swimming pools, shuffleboard, and of course surfing and relaxing on the beach, combined with our convenient location, will contribute to a memorable stay. Our Award winning Days Inn is located right next door with standard rooms, efficiencies, and balcony suites overlooking the CocoaBeach Pier.

The end of 2007 marked the completion of our property wide renovations at the Best Western. Guests can now enjoy our brand new fitness center, a full continental breakfast buffet in our newly remodeled breakfast room, or book one of our brand new two-room suites. The suites are fitted with granite counter-tops throughout, a kitchenette, your choice of a king or two queen beds, a sleeper sofa, and a huge private balcony. The suites also have their own private pool area!

Guests from both properties are welcome to enjoy cocktails at the Verandah Bar located next to our courtyard pool, dine at Durango’s steak house, or have breakfast and lunch at the Omelet Station. Looking for night time entertainment? The famous CocoaBeach Pier has dining, entertainment and dancing, and beach events throughout the year.

So pack your beach bag, and give us a call to reserve your ELVIS experience! For reservations, please call 800-962-0028 or visit us online at www.bestwesterncocoabeach.com. We look forward to making the Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites your home away from home!

Chart update: This Sunday the new official UK chart will be published again. On the Mid-week charts "The Complete '68 Comeback" Box set entered the Top 90 of the UK Midweek Album Charts after one day of sales. These charts are updated daily. (News, Source: FECC / Elvis News)

Courtesy of super collector, Barry MacLean,

here are visuals of the Complete '68 Comeback Special 4CD boxset

Dutch TV to feature Elvis evening: Dutch TV will be hosting an Elvis evening on August 16. A feature of the night will be a focus on the 40th anniversary of the '68 Comeback Special and include interviews with Dutch fans. (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Elvis, Sylvester Stallone, Kate Moss & "rumpology": Sylvester Stallone taught Kate Moss rumpology at the weekend. The 'Rambo' actor showed the British supermodel the art of bottom reading - a skill which allows the reader to predict a person's future by looking at their rear - and allowed her to practice by peering at his wife Jennifer Flavin's posterior. Sylvester and Kate - who were both holidaying in Ibiza with British retail tycoon Sir Philip Green - also bonded over their shared love of singer Elvis Presley.

A source said: "I've never seen anybody get so animated over butts and Elvis as those two." Sylvester's mother Jackie Stallone first perfected the art of rumpology, and Kate is keen to keep practising when she returns to Britain. The source added to Britain's Daily Star newspaper: "She can't wait to get back home and read her boyfriend Jamie Hince's cheeks. Although she doesn't know how to broach the subject!" The model is so thrilled with her newfound skill she has vowed to thank Sylvester by buying him a door from Elvis' Graceland home for him to use at his new £2.5million home in Lake Sherwood, California. (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Wednesday 6 August 2008

'Elvis Christmas Duets' album - different versions possible (see story & picture yesterday): According to a posting by Brian Quinn - usually well informed - on several message-boards there could be different versions of the 'Christmas Duets' Album released in several territories; one for the U.S.A, one for the U.K. and one for Canada.

The localized versions should feature artists from the said country. The UK album will be released in November and there will also be a single release. No tracks or artists are known at present for the UK or Canadian releases.

Sony BMG apparently have high hopes for this album. Looks like we will all have to start saving up for the various versions.

Please note that the 'Christmas Duets' Album is different to the one tentatively set for 2009 which will be more eclectic in format and artists. There will be a major push for that release including a TV Show built around it. (News, Source: FECC/Elvis News)

"You Know It Doesn't Have To Be Country" released: Volume 1 of the Gravel Road Music import label release "You Know It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country" has been released. This CD contains 22 tracks collected from private collections and many are released on CD for the first time according to the press-release, "These are the acetates which Elvis took home to play-back and agreed to be released!". (News, Source: Elvis News)

New EPE marketing slogan: Every 18 months the EPE licensing department creates artwork for promoting Elvis and producing merchandise. The slogan that will be used in 2009-10 is ‘Elvis Now’. It’s similar to previous slogans ‘Elvis Is’ and ‘Elvis Lives’, in that it makes a definitive statement about the strong presence of Elvis in the world’s culture, not in the past, but now. Because many of those who develop products have to begin very far in advance of when the merchandise will actually be in the marketplace, the colors and design are selected based on trends forecasted for 2009-10. The research indicated that you will be seeing colors that are bold, energetic, bright and daring. The same words can easily be used to describe Elvis himself. There will also be unconventional combinations with an eye toward Mother Earth. More than ever, the global community has a better sense of awareness for the environment and individualism. Greens, sea blues and earthen hues will continue to have great impact in 2009. Keep an eye out for ‘Elvis Now’ merchandise, available beginning in January 2009.

Sony Corp. Agreed To Buyout BMG: Sony Corp. has agreed to buy the 50% stake in Sony BMG held by German media giant Bertelsmann in a deal valued at $1.2 billion. Sony BMG will initially pay Bertelsmann approximately $600 million in cash. Sony Corp. of America will then purchase the remaining interest for approximately $600 million. As a result, Bertelsmann will receive approximately $900 million in value for its 50% stake plus $300 million of its share of cash on Sony BMG's balance sheet. Sony views this as an approximate $600 million net cash cost as it does not consolidate Sony BMG’s cash. The music company, to be called Sony Music Entertainment, will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corp. of America.

Bertelsmann will keep a toe in the European music marketplace. It takes over a limited amount of music catalog assets from Sony BMG in Germany, the U.K., France and Italy. Bertelsmann chairman and CEO Hartmut Ostrowski told employees in a memo that "will form the basis for reentry into the music rights business."

The parties will continue to share the company’s manufacturing and distribution requirements between Sony’s manufacturing subsidiary, Sony DADC, and Bertelsmann’s services company, Arvato Digital Services, by extending agreements with Arvato for up to six years.

The sales agreement ends a joint venture that began in 2004 when Sony and Bertelsmann merged their respective music divisions amidst declining record sales.

Move reflects Sony's efforts to beef up its own content production capacity as the Japanese conglom seeks synergies between its software and hardware businesses, such as linking music and mobile phones.

“This acquisition will allow us to achieve a deeper and more robust integration between the wide-ranging global assets of the music company and Sony’s products, operating companies and affiliates,” said Howard Stringer, Sony chairman and CEO. “It enables us to offer a total entertainment experience to consumers.”

Stringer added that Sony BMG has in the past four years restructured, streamlined its operations and developed digital partnerships “that ensure it will continue to be a leader in the creation and distribution of music worldwide.”

In his memo to staff, Ostrowski wrote "the proceeds from the sale of our stake in Sony BMG create new latitude for us to make targeted investments and grow again, including and especially in North America."

No specifics were mentioned in the memo, but one potential target could be U.K. pay TV company BSkyB's 17.9% stake in Blighty’s leading commercial web ITV. Bertelsmann-owned RTL is reportedly eyeing the stake, which is likely to come on the market in the near future following a ruling by the U.K.’s competition commission.

Last year the BMG unit saw revenue fall 27% to $2.25 billion while operating profit dropped 46% to $144 million.

Deal remains subject to regulatory approval.

Update on the Proposed Reorganization of Sun Entertainment Holding Corp.: Sun Entertainment Holding Corporation (the "Company") (TSX: SED.V) (OTC: SETHF) wishes to provide an update on the proposed reorganization of the Company to change its corporate jurisdiction from the Province of British Columbia to the State of Nevada, as disclosed in the Company's news release dated December 3, 2007.

On May 19, 2006, the Company received shareholder approval to reorganize the Company, including approval to effect a continuance to any state jurisdiction in the United States and to delist from the TSX Venture Exchange. As the Company's assets, shareholder base, and majority of its
directors and officers are based in the United States, management and the board of the directors determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to effect the proposed reorganization.

Prior to effecting the reorganization, the Company intended to file a registration statement in the United States with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to register its common shares under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").

Following such registration, the Company intended to quote its common shares on the OTC Bulletin Board and delist from the TSX Venture Exchange.

Subsequent to receiving shareholder approval, the Company has decided to postpone the reorganization in order to determine the costs associated with registering a class of shares under the Exchange Act, particularly the compliance costs to the Company under the Sarbanes - Oxley Act and the requirement to obtain an auditor attestation report on the internal controls of the Company. The SEC has postponed the auditor attestation report requirement for Smaller Reporting Companies such as the Company until it files an annual report ending on or after December 15, 2009. Due to the high compliance costs with the auditor attestation report, and due to the uncertainty of whether the SEC will require the report in the future, the Company has determined to postpone the reorganization until a definitive compliance date is provided. The Company intends to continue to seek shareholder approval of the reorganization at future shareholder meetings so that it may quickly proceed with the reorganization in the event the SEC eliminates the auditor attestation report.

Comeback Special & Aloha "budget" DVDs: The "'68 Comeback Special" and "Aloha From Hawaii" Deluxe Editions from a few years back have been re-issued in a budget edition. BMG kept the booklets but the discs come is standard DVD boxes. (News, Source: Elvis News)

New book release in Germany: The German book "My Way To Memphis - Wie Ein Lebenstraum Wahr Wurde" ("How A Dream Came True") is a 108 pages book written by Maik Roß is which he shares his feelings visiting Memphis for the first time.

Elvis Presley vs Spankok - Baby Let's Play House Vinyl: The UK release of "Elvis Presley Vs Spankox - Baby Lets Play House" will also see a 12 Inch release on vinyl. This disc is due on September 8, 2008.

The CD-single differs from the previous European releases, it contains four tracks. The "Spankox re:version / Highpass extended mix" of "Don't Be Cruel" is as yet unreleased.

Elvis fans create own Graceland: With 38 top 10 records during his career, Elvis Presley is remembered by many people, but honored by few as much as Jacque Jessen and her husband, Paul. Jessen’s love for Presley began with his first appearance on Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town in September 1956. She once stood in line for eight hours during a blizzard in Chicago to get tickets to see Presley perform live.

Some of her Presley collection includes dolls, figurines, pictures, tins and a replica of the horseshoe ring Elvis was often seen wearing. Jessen owns not only a rare replica painting of Presley, but also two guitars signed by the Memphis Mafia, a group of friends and employees often seen with Presley. The latest editions to Jessen’s collection include a tattoo of Presley’s face with the song title “I Believe” printed under it, and a house being built as a close replica to Graceland, Presley’s home in Memphis, Tenn., for the last 20 years of his life. The Jessen’s went as far as to take actual measurements at Graceland.

Jessen said finding plans for the upstairs of the house was difficult, since no one except the family has been allowed up there since the tours began in 1982, but some plans were found online. With slight alterations to optimize space and make the house more livable, the Jessens hope to move into their local Graceland in September. (News, Source: Laura L. Woodring, Cherokee Scout)

Dick Cheney as Elvis - he'll never leave the building: It doesn't really matter who Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain selects as his running mate. Democrats are already gearing up to compare him or her to Vice President Dick Cheney.

The reason: nothing works better to propel Democrats to the polls than the idea of four more years of Dick Cheney.

In a website called TheNextCheney, the Democratic National Committee quoted McCain as saying, in 2001, that if he'd been nominated instead of George W. Bush, he would have made the same veep decision. Or, as he told Cheney at the time, "With a little more luck, I might have been able to ask you to be my vice president." So, asked the DNC, "Who will be John McCain's second choice?"

From there, it's a catalog of choices -- all with a Cheney connection. There's Tim Pawlenty, hand-picked by Cheney to be Minnesota's governor. Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, who changed his positions on immigration and Social Security reform to match Cheney's. Carly Fiorina, the former H-P chairman who wants to outsource jobs, just like Cheney does.

You get the idea............Which makes us wonder whether Cheney has become a larger-than-life character who will loom over the political scene for decades, long after he leaves the building.

In September I am going to be invited to a special screening of "Caught in a Trap" and I can't wait. This ITV play is all about Elvis with 20 or more of Elvis' songs used in the production. It tells the story of a fanatical Elvis fan played by Connie Fisher, Maria of "Sound of Music" fame. She has a boring job working for a local council counting coins from parking meters. However, she devises a way to steal coins and this starts an obsession collecting Elvis memorabilia and records that she hides in the loft of her home. She eventually gets caught having stole hundreds of £thousands in coins and goes to prison.

Ian Coulson (Geordie Elvis) and I were at the film studios in Chertsey on the set of the production. We saw the actual end scene of the play which is quite touching and a very appropriate Elvis song ends the play. There is a cute scene where the Elvis fan appears on a quiz show hosted by Nicholas Parsons and asks an Elvis question that she, naturally, gets right.

There has never been a play on TV that has featured so many Elvis songs and I am delighted to say many of the memorabilia items used in the production were supplied by Elvisly Yours. The play will be screened close to Christmas and soon after there will be a DVD of the play that will be mass-marketed. We will keep you informed of the date the play is screened and the DVD launched. You are going to love this Elvis-themed play.

Lisa Marie's pregnancy finally confirmed: Priscilla Presley has finally confirmed what Star readers have known for five long months — her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, is expecting twins! We reported Lisa Marie's double dose of baby joy on our Web site on March 13.

Elvis' daughter "wanted it really to be kept a secret for a long time," Priscilla told Entertainment Tonight on Monday.

The twins will be Lisa Marie's first children with fourth husband Michael Lockwood. The singer has two other children — daughter Riley, 19, and son Benjamin, 15 — with hubby-number-one Danny Keough. (Lisa Marie Presley's World, Source: Star Magazine)

The Memphis Boys new projects: Even though we may know The Memphis Boys best for the incredible music they created with Elvis during the legendary 1969 sessions at American Sound Studios, these talented musicians have worked with some of the major recording artists in the business, including BJ Thomas, Willie Nelson and Garth Brooks. Their sound, drawing on their roots, combines Rock & Roll, R&B, Gospel, Jazz - and, of course, they can play anything!

Bobby Wood, on behalf of The Memphis Boys, wants to let the Elvis Fans know about two new projects they have been working on. They have recorded (i) Angel Smith and (ii) Bobo Moreno on their own independent record label, Memphis Boys Productions, available on "CD Baby" - check it out at http://cdbaby.com/ . Our Memphis Boys are not just great musicians, Reggie Young co-wrote "This World Aint Big Enough" and Bobbie Wood is co-writer on many of the songs. Also, check Angel's and Bobo's My Space at http://www.myspace.com/ANGELSMITHMUSIC and http://www.myspace.com/BOBOMORENO.

The Memphis Boys hope the Elvis Fans will enjoy listening to their new offerings, and give them the wonderful support that is unique within the Elvis Family. (News, Source: Carole Drexler)

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Sony BMG to release "Elvis Christmas Duets" album in October: On October 14, SONY BMG Music Entertainment, in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., will release the “Elvis Presley Christmas Duets” CD, which is the first Elvis Presley duet recordings album and the first Christmas compilation of its kind ever produced. This release marks yet another milestone in Elvis Presley’s legacy, 31 years after his death.

“There has been tremendous excitement from the many artists contributing their voices to these Elvis Christmas classics. We believe Elvis fans will truly enjoy these unique collaborations while introducing Elvis' holiday classics to the many fans of his duet partners,” says Joe Galante, Chairman, SONY BMG Nashville.

"In order to create these classic “duets” Sony BMG used the most advanced and sophisticated audio technology available. For songs that were recorded on one track, mono, musical beds were created to perfectly match the instrumentation and arrangements contained on the originals. In the case of songs that have been recorded in multi-track where Elvis' vocal is isolated on a single track, the vocal was simply dropped for a given verse or chorus, making room for the duet artist. To be as faithful as possible to the original recordings, the fabled RCA Studio B in Nashville - the same studio that Elvis recorded the 1971 original Christmas session in, was used.

“This is an excellent example of the innovative ways in which we keep Elvis’ catalog fresh and continue the history of creating, preserving and celebrating great music,” says John Ingrassia, President of the SONY BMG Commercial Music Group.
e are so pleased that these accomplished artists are collaborating with Elvis in this unique way to make exciting new versions of his Christmas songs. I am sure Elvis would be proud to have worked with them," says Priscilla Presley.
Elvis is one of the biggest-selling artists every holiday season, although he only recorded 20 Christmas songs, his various holiday albums have sold over 25 million copies in the US alone. His existing Christmas releases are seen on the holiday charts year after year.

Elvis Media Player: ZVUE Corporation, a global digital entertainment company, announced today that ZVUE will be selling an exclusive Elvis Media Player pre-loaded with 10 music video clips from two concert specials starring Elvis Presley, “68 Special” and “Aloha From Hawaii.”

The Elvis Presley Media Player will retail for $49.88 and will be available nationwide in 3,400 Wal-Mart stores beginning August 12, to coincide with Elvis Week at Graceland in Memphis.

This co-promotion will coincide with the exclusive Wal-Mart release of Elvis: Viva Las Vegas on DVD and Blu-ray. Elvis: Viva Las Vegas is a powerful music documentary that features rare Elvis performance footage and showcases some of today’s hottest as they perform some of Elvis’ Vegas classics. (News, Source: EPE)

Elvis Hollywood '72 CD: A new CD release entitled "Elvis Hollywood '72" has been released. It contains the undubbed and alternate recordings from RCA's Studio C recorded in March 1972 with 2 additional bonus cuts.

Blue Hawaii Breakfast "sold out": The Blue Hawaii Breakfast with Darlene Tompkins is SOLD OUT, as are the VIP tickets for the Elvis Week Kickoff Party, and just NINE Platinum packages remain for the Ultimate ETA Contest. (News, Source: EPE)

"I'm a steamroller baby" CD: A new CD release coming out soon on the new Steam import label is "I'm a steamroller baby". It features a recording of Elvis' February 16, 1973 Dinner Show (8:15 P.M.) as recorded at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas.

Elvis' boyhood church restored & to open in Tupelo: The Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation will open the Church Elvis visited while a boy - which was recently moved to Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo and restored - on August 7, 2008. (News, Source: Elvis Presley Scrapbook/Elvis News)

New CD releases: Two new import releases, "Elvis Hollywood '72" And "60-'61 Sessions" have been released. The first one contains undubbed and alternate recordings from RCA's Studio C recorded in March 1972 with 2 additional bonus cuts while the latter contains alternate takes from 1960 and 1961 that haven't been released on the Follow That Dream collector's label yet. (News, Source: Elvis Unlimited)

August is Sony/BMG Month on EIN.....keep watching over the next few days!!!

Trying To Get To You" CD: As recorded live in Rochester, New York, Community War Memorial, May 25th, 1977. The "Straight Arrow" label will release its 10th CD, entitled "TRYING TO GET TO YOU" (SA 2008-10-02), in late August 2008.

Elvis' May '77 tour was very uneven, compared to all his earlier ones. He performed 14 shows in all, and at the beginning of tour, he was lethargic and looking really unwell. There were alarming moments, like when Elvis left the stage in Baltimore, MD, for 20 minutes or when he did very lackluster shows in Philadelphia on May 28th or in Baton Rouge on June 1st. However, as the tour progressed, on some evenings Elvis showed that he could still deliver. Recorded evidence shows that the best concerts are May 24-27, May 30 and June 2nd. The Rochester, May 25th, 1977 concert as presented on this CD was the 6th stop of the tour, and his 1st concert in New York State in '77.

Even in '77 there were moments of brilliance in some of Elvis’ concerts. In Rochester, Elvis appeared to be in a good mood and in strong voice, giving solid performances of "You Gave Me A Mountain", "One Night", "My Way" and "Hurt" among others. One song that deserves special mention is the title song. For some reason, "Trying To Get To You" was probably the only classic 50s track that Elvis always treated with respect - even in his last months.

The audio-quality of the recording is quite good. As you've come to expect from us, Straight Arrow managed to obtain the best listening pleasure.

It's almost unnecessary to add that Straight Arrow will present this CD with a full-colour, 16-page booklet with approximately 40 photos from the actual concert, incl. some never-before seen ones.

The producers note that this concert was previously released from a substandard source, with the rather silly title "JAILHOUSE ROCK MAN IN CONCERT" (Great Dane label, 1993). The sound of this CD – which also had a couple of glitches and mastering errors – is not to be compared with therich and atmospheric audience sound on our new release. Why settle for a Lada when you can have a brand new, shiny Cadillac? Do yourself a favour and get this little beauty today. Rock with the King, '77 style – we assure you, even the cynics among you will be pleasantly surprised!

Elvis classic tops Love Song list: The devotional words to the song, which featured in Presley's 1961 film Blue Hawaii, describe the mood of love better than any other, according to respondents. Another film theme, Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, which featured in The Bodyguard, came second in the list of lyrics for infatuated lovers.

For those not so fortunate, Everybody Hurts by REM is the most comforting song in moments of depression, the research found. Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water was ranked as almost as popular with those feeling low. Celebration by Kool and the Gang is the ultimate song for a party mood, according to respondents, while driving is apparently best soundtracked by Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf.

Life imitates art when it comes to weddings, according to the survey, with Love Is All Around by Wet Wet Wet, which featured in the Hugh Grant film Four Weddings And A Funeral, ranked the top song for nuptials.

Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli's Time To Say Goodbye is the song that most consoles those who have suffered a bereavement, according to the survey. Meanwhile those needing a burst of motivation most frequently turn to Don't Stop Me Now by Queen.

The research, which was carried out by the National Year of Reading campaign, saw 4,000 people between 18 and 65 surveyed on the importance of song lyrics to their lives. It found that 9 in 10 said that knowing the words of a song helped them to gain a better appreciation of it.

More than half said lyrics could change their moods and recall memories. But half said they find lyrics harder to find because of the decline in sales of traditional music media such as CDs and LPs, which often had the songwords printed on their sleeves.

Honor Wilson Fletcher, the director of the National Year of Reading, said: "What surprised us in this survey was how it goes across all the generations. It didn't matter if you were 18 or 65, the emotional importance of lyrics was completely consistent." (News, Source: Jon Swaine, Telegraph UK)

PINK throws baby shower for Lisa Marie:Pop punk PINK is throwing a baby shower for pregnant pal LISA MARIE PRESLEY - and is getting the gifts for free. The daughter of rock 'n' roll king Elvis Presley is eight months pregnant - her first child with fourth husband Michael Lockwood. Presley will entertain her baby shower guests at a secret party in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon (02Aug08) - and pal Pink, real name Alecia Moore, has been "asking (stores) to donate gift bag items for an A-A-A-list baby shower", reports New York gossip column Page Six. (Lisa Presley's World, Source: Contact Music)

Elvis - a Gospel singer?: Elvis Presley is firmly seated on the throne as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but his love for gospel music could have prevented it, according to one-time Blackwood Brothers member and Gospel Hall of Fame inductee Rick Price.

“Our kind of music has been around for well over 100 years,” Price said. “There used to be a company called the Stamps Music Company, and they sold song books.”

The song books, Price said, contained music written with shape notes, a form of notation in which the notes are represented by shapes to make the songs easier to learn.“One of their (the Stamps Music Company’s) ideas was to start a singing group,” Price said. “They started something called the Stamps Quartet. The quartet cycled through various members through the years, filling the lead, tenor, baritone and bass positions classic to the genre

“The Blackwood Brothers ended up buying the Stamps Music Company (including the Stamps Quartet) in the ’60s. That’s the group that backed Elvis,” Price said, “so there’s always been a connection to Elvis with Blackwood.”

The Stamps Quartet replaced the Imperials as Elvis’ backing singers and toured with Elvis through most of the 1970s. However, that was after Elvis had made it as a solo act, and Price said the Blackwood Brothers’ ties to the King began even earlier.“Cecil Blackwood had a group with Elvis back in the ’50s,” Price said, then clarified the two weren’t actually in a band at the same time. Cecil Blackwood, Price said, was in a gospel band called the Songfellows. Presley was pursuing his music career at the time and was interested in joining the group.

Elvis’ chance to be a Songfellow came following the tragic death of Blackwood Brothers baritone R.W. Blackwood in a plane crash in 1954, when Cecil Blackwood left the Songfellows to take his older brother’s position in the Blackwood Brothers, Price said. However, Elvis was unable to accept the offer to join the Songfellows because the contract he had with Sun Records had just been sold to RCA, who would not release Elvis, Price said.

“Elvis went to Sun Records to try to get out of his contract when it happened,” Price said, “and he couldn’t get out.”

Elvis went on with his highly successful musical career, and the Blackwood Brothers continued on their path to be the first inductees to the Gospel Hall of Fame. The Blackwood Brothers and Elvis remained friends, though, and stayed in touch through the years.

“(The Blackwood Brothers) would go to his house, and they would sing gospel music all night long,” Price said. “He loved quartet music. He always said he wanted to be a quartet singer. “When (Elvis’) mother died back in the ’60s, he hired a plane so the Blackwood Brothers could sing at her funeral. They ended up singing about 13 or 14 songs.”

The friendship the two musical acts shared was long-lasting, and when Elvis died in 1977, Price said, some of the Blackwood Brothers even sang at his funeral. Price was never fortunate enough to meet Elvis, having joined the Blackwood Brothers close to the time of the King’s death, but, he said, “they would tell me all kinds of stories.” (News, Source: Sean Hart, The Argus Observer)

Sillerman cancels Elvis Week appearance: Robert Sillerman, CKX Chairman, CEO and owner of EPE, has canceled his live appearance at the Elvis Insiders Conference during Elvis Week 2008. He now will be answering questions submitted by Elvis Insiders via video in a pre-recorded segment. The cause is said to be a scheduling conflict.

The Joan Deary Tapes CD - back cover artwork: Further to our news item in late July, here is the back cover of the upcoming release "The Joan Deary Tapes" from the new Surprise Records import label. This CD is due later this month or early September. (News, Source: Herbert Gruss)

Elvis DVD boxset:Due for release from Warner Home Video on October 14, 2008 in the US in the 4 Films Favorites" series is "Elvis Presley Musicals".

With a total running time of 382 minutes, this set contains the musicals "Kissin' Cousins", "Live A Little, Love A Little", "Girl Happy" and "Tickle Me". (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Elvis 2nd to Frank Sinatra as best acting performance by a musician: Frank Sinatra's acting in 'From Here To Eternity' has been named the 'Best Ever Acting Performance By A Musician'.

The music legend's turn in the 1953 movie was labelled the greatest ever acting role by a musician in a poll carried out for getcloser.com. Following Sinatra was Elvis Presley's performance in 'Jailhouse Rock,' reports Contactmusic.

Eminem came third for performance in '8 Mile' while Ice Cube's 'Boyz N The Hood' stood fourth. Rounding off the top five was Queen of Pop Madonna's turn in 'Desperately Seeking Susan'.

The high quality Super High Material CD format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing, SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc, allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. (News, Source: Elvis World Japan/ Elvis News)

"A Star for Elvis" campaigns ends successfully: The “Viva Las Vegas!” Elvis Presley Fan Club is happy to announce that the fund raising goal has been met for its “A Star for Elvis” Campaign – to install a star honoring Elvis Presley on the “Las Vegas Walk of Stars”. How appropriate an announcement for the 39th anniversary of the day Elvis returned to the stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.

Since February 28, in only 5 months, donations have been collected totaling over $15,000. The $15,000 total has been verified by Mr Robert Alexander, the President of the LVWOS. Any overage will be donated to the club’s designated charity, St Jude’s Ranch for Abused Children, in Boulder City NV. (This is no relation to the hospital in Memphis.)

The star will be unveiled during a ceremony on Friday, Sept 26. The invitee list is limited to donors and VIPs. The star itself will be installed a few days later, in front of the Riviera, next to Liberace’s star. The Riviera is the closest casino on Las Vegas Blvd to the Hilton, concert home to Elvis Presley.

We thank all the friends, fans, and tribute artists who have donated their funds, energy, and time to this endeavor. These fans should certainly feel proud of themselves! We also would like to specifically acknowledge the following Elvis friends for their donations and support: Sonny West, Kathy Westmoreland, Sandi Miller, Jon Patino, and Darlene Tompkins. We appreciate every dollar that has been given.

The campaign would not have been as wonderful and successful without the following: We give special thanks to Sandi Pichon for spreading the word to her many friends and contacts in the Elvis world, to Sue McCasland for providing the Star pins for donors, and to Artie Dadyan for providing Elvis-style sunglasses as a donor incentive. Immense gratitude goes out to local Elvis Tribute Artist Peter Vallee and his staff, and his manager Lucille Star, for promoting and representing the Elvis Star Campaign.

All the funds donated were by fans and friends of Elvis Presley. There was no assistance by any corporation. Once again, Elvis fans have demonstrated their love and support for “The King of Rock and Roll.”

Personally, I have many to thank. Once again I want to state my appreciation for the inspiration of the Bobby Darin Star Fund Project and his fans. I thank my star advisors, the club board of directors, and the members of the Viva Las Vegas Club for their incredible and unwavering support. And, I dedicate my effort to the memory of Janelle McComb and her work to build the Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel in Tupelo. Her spirit was a great influence and encouragement to me during this campaign.

Cybill Shepherd haunted by ex-love Elvis: Cybill Shepherd says she is being haunted by ex-love Elvis Presley. The actress wishes she had done more to help the late music legend as his life descended into binge eating and depression before his untimely death at the age of 42. She said: "I don't feel him in a way that I feel I have to call ghostbusters, but I've been haunted by Elvis in the sense that when I knew him, he was very sweet but also seriously into drugs." Cybill dated Elvis in the early 70s but was unable to cope with his self-destructive tendencies and eventually left him for film director Peter Bogdanovich. She added to TV Guide magazine: "I've been haunted by wishing he could have lived longer because I'm from Memphis and I've had the fame thing, too. Maybe I could have helped him." (News, Source: PR-Inside.com)

DJ has just accepted the invitation for two autograph sessions at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis (North Front Street) on August 13 and 14, between 9 am and 6 pm (exact hours to be announced).

Right after that, he drives on to Tunica for a set of Casino shows. (News, Source: Elvis Matters)

Opposite: DJ and wife, Karen

Elvis PhotoRama: Photo File, the producers of the beautiful framed gold vinyl records are now announcing this magnificient piece of art. The photorama features a timeline that includes some of the major events from Elvis’ career along with amazing images that span the decades.

Elvis artifacts in the 2008 Elvis Expo: The display of artifacts in this year's Elvis Expo features some fun and dramatic items from Elvis' life and career. Make you plans now and don't miss out on a rare look at these treasures from the Graceland Archives.

Fancy Wheels Fit For A King: 1969 Elvis Presley Mercedes Benz 600 Limousine (bold) This midnight blue Mercedes Benz 600 Gross Pullman is a 6-door limousine that was traditionally built for dignitaries and royalty. Elvis purchased the car on April 6th, 1970 at Mercedes Benz of Hollywood. Loaded with a sunroof, divider window, telephone, television and other amenities, this was the ultimate automobile for the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis was chauffeured both around Beverly Hills, as well as to many of his concert venues. He is even seen in the 1972 MGM documentary, "Elvis on Tour," exiting this car.

Elvis & the Army: Elvis Presley's Army Fatigues and Trunk(bold) We're commemorating the 40th anniversary of Elvis' army induction with this set of green army fatigues worn by Elvis in the late 50's while doing his stint for Uncle Sam. Also in this exhibit is his 1959 Army Trunk.

Hooray for Hollywood: This exhibit also features a brown pair of speckled wool pants worn by Elvis while singing the hit, "You're so Square" in Jailhouse Rock and, from the same movie, a short-sleeved, grey shirt with silver and black miniature diamonds embroidered into the fabric of the cloth. From Girl Happy you'll see the bolero shirt with "E. Presley" handwritten on the name line of the label. Also included is a blue, long-sleeved shirt that was worn by Elvis during the film, Harum Scarum. The shirt was given to a stunt man by Elvis during the film.

Elvis In Concert: See the Blue Tiffany Jumpsuit and Cape which was worn by Elvis in his concerts on November 14, 1972 at the Long Beach Arena and on November 18, 1972 in Honolulu, HA.

Fan Art from the Graceland Archives: Graceland is also bringging a fun, international collection of fan art from around the world to the Elvis Expo. Some of the pieces dating back to the 50s, see what Elvis fans have been sending to Graceland, from pencil drawing and paitings to cross stitch works of art, you'll find it all in this unique Elvis Expo exhibit.

The Elvis Expo is being held on Wednesday, August 13 and Thursday, August 14 from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the South Hall, Memphis Cook Convention Center, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis.

It's the ultimate Elvis tradeshow with more than 75 booths and 35,000 square feet of Elvis that includes all the latest Elvis music, movies, merchandise, celebrity autograph sessions, authors, artists and photographers, and lots of Elvis freebies and samples. Admission is $15.00 per day. Elvis Insiders Conference attendees are admitted free by showing their conference badge.

Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. (News, Source: EPE)

Special limited edition vinyl single: Fans who bought "The Complete 68 Comeback Special" set during the Dutch premiere party on July 31, 2008 in Purmerend received a promotional seven inch vinyl single (RCA 07312008PR) especially pressed for this occasion. This single is limited to 300 copies.

Side A: That's All Right – First Sit Down Show version
Side B: That’s All Right – Second Sit Down Show version (News, Source: FECC)

Beatles won't Let It Be: Asa Elvis fans continue to ask for Elvis In Concert to be given an officiakl DVD release it is interesting to note that Beatles fan's have a similar dilemma:

THE two surviving Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, have stopped the release of Beatles film Let It Be, nearly 40 years after it was made.

The 1970 documentary reveals tensions between the Fab Four - Paul, Ringo and the late John Lennon and George Harrison - shortly before their break-up, and insiders at the band's record company, Apple, claim the two surviving members do not want it re-released.

A source said: "There has been talk of Let It Be finally being released but now there has been a change of heart.

"The Beatles are still a massive global brand and it's felt it won't be helped if the public sees the darker side of the story. Neither Paul nor Ringo would feel comfortable publicising a film showing The Beatles getting on each other's nerves." (News, Source: Herald Sun)